The common stereotype of what a criminal looks like more often than not starts off with the gender being portrayed as a male. If a television show is looking for a general criminal character, their first instinct is to cast a male over a female. It’s how we associate crime. It is a male thing.
This thinking is clearly flawed and results in the underrepresentation of female crime. I believe the male crime myth stems from the association of women as the victim and to be protected not protected from. Women are delicate flowers to take care of and protect from the worlds criminals.
What happens when the women are actually the criminals? More often than not-nothing. They get away with it because the portrayal of women as criminals is not appealing to the general public. Women are mothers and nurturers, so they also get sympathy on theat end. However, Remember the debatable Casey Anthony story? Despite all evidence she got away with murder of her own child because of the publics leniency on women criminals.
The media reflects this. We know what a criminal should look like and it all starts with them being male. Female criminals are a taboo concept that results in an unfair amount of women getting off easy.
This thinking is clearly flawed and results in the underrepresentation of female crime. I believe the male crime myth stems from the association of women as the victim and to be protected not protected from. Women are delicate flowers to take care of and protect from the worlds criminals.
What happens when the women are actually the criminals? More often than not-nothing. They get away with it because the portrayal of women as criminals is not appealing to the general public. Women are mothers and nurturers, so they also get sympathy on theat end. However, Remember the debatable Casey Anthony story? Despite all evidence she got away with murder of her own child because of the publics leniency on women criminals.
The media reflects this. We know what a criminal should look like and it all starts with them being male. Female criminals are a taboo concept that results in an unfair amount of women getting off easy.
WHERE TO NEXT?
photo cred: top cover : from http://www.oooza.com/crimes-against-women-bihar-police-in-search-of-rape-accused/
Cartoon: by Dave Granlund
Lined images: cited on linked site
Cartoon: by Dave Granlund
Lined images: cited on linked site