Author: brandycavalli

According to research on female gang members, poor home life, a search for an identity, and a search for social interaction and belonging are the main reasons girls join gangs. In poor urban areas, “the home lives of gang girls are marked frequently by breakdown and dysfunction, at worst resulting in physical and sexual abuse”. Many girls who do not have a loving home or support structure seek it outside of the home in hopes that the gang will be their surrogate family. This is exemplified in the observation that, “gang members refer to one another as ‘sisters’ or ‘homegirls” and to the gang as a ‘family’… which conjure the sense of belonging and identification”. Continue reading “Why Do Girls Join Gangs?”