Abstract

FIGUEIREDO, Ana Cristina Costa  and  STENGEL, Márcia. Affective and Sexual Bonds in Prison: Case Study of an Incarcerated Woman. Gerais, Rev. Interinst. Psicol. [online]. 2022, vol.15, n.3, e18555.  Epub Jan 20, 2025. ISSN 1983-8220.  https://doi.org/10.36298/gerais202215e18555.

This study aims to reflect on the affective and sexual relationships of an imprisoned woman. It is based on the thesis of one of the authors, in which six case studies were conducted with imprisoned women. One of the stories in the thesis was chosen because it shows the patterns of attachment throughout the prisoner’s life and raises questions about the prison system. For data acquisition, in addition to a field diary, semi-structured interviews were carried out, recorded and later transcribed. The following theoretical references were used for the analysis: John Bowlby’s Theory of Attachment; female criminality, based on the concept of gender; affective relationships in the criminal and prison context. It became clear that the relational models experienced during childhood engendered the participant’s choices and had implications for her process of subjectification. Although she longs for affection and to build a traditional family, she avoids closeness, which is characteristic of people with an avoidant attachment style. Gender-based violence was highlighted, as well as the need to question the restrictions on contact imposed in prisons and the current Brazilian incarceration policy.

Keywords : Affective-sexual relationships; Incarcerated women; Imprisonment; Gender; Attachment Theory.

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