Gender, inequalities and resistance in prison: a feminist view of the reality of imprisoned women in the Basque Country

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to approach the experiences of imprisoned women in the Basque Country, based on the results of an ethnographic study carried out from a feminist perspective with women imprisoned in Araba and Gipuzkoa penitentiary centers. Specifically, three topics are analyzed: firstly, the gender inequalities existing in the prison context; secondly, the experiences, opinions, impressions and assessments of imprisoned women; and, finally, the resistance practices developed by imprisoned women to try to overcome, neutralize or mitigate the consequences of imprisonment, addressing the issue of their agency, often undervalued and invisibilized. This way, understanding prison as a gender institution, the goal is to delve into its oppressive and restrictive nature, but without denying or underestimating the capacity of imprisoned women to act and transform certain situations.