What is it about?
Why some women in Ghana commit homicide, and how their life experiences—like childhood hardships, marriage problems, work struggles, and gender-related challenges—play a role in their actions. It also shows that many of these women’s decisions are shaped by issues such as violence in intimate relationships, family conflicts and revenge, economic pressures, impulsive reactions, being falsely accused or manipulated. And finally, it argues that policies and support programs should be more sensitive to women’s unique life experiences if we want to prevent such crimes in the future.
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Why is it important?
Most homicide research focuses on men; however, this study amplifies the voices of women offenders, a group rarely examined in Ghana or across Africa. The findings highlight the urgent need for gender-sensitive criminal justice policies and rehabilitation programs. By exploring women’s life experiences leading to homicide, the study provides insights that can inform interventions aimed at preventing similar tragedies. What makes this work unique is its integration of both life course criminology (which examines how life events shape criminal behaviour) and feminist criminology (which centres on women’s gendered experiences). Research on female homicide offenders in Ghana is extremely limited, making this study a pioneering contribution. Drawing on in-depth interviews, it captures the personal voices and lived realities of incarcerated women, rather than relying solely on statistics. Importantly, the study goes beyond identifying the causes of homicide to propose policy reforms that are responsive to women’s specific needs.
Perspectives
From my perspective, this study is important because it shifts attention from the male-centred focus of most homicide research to the overlooked experiences of women offenders in Ghana and Africa. I believe the findings show clearly why gender-sensitive criminal justice policies and rehabilitation strategies are urgently needed. By listening to women’s life stories, we gain an understanding of how their childhood struggles, marital challenges, and socio-economic pressures can lead to tragic outcomes, knowledge that can help design interventions to prevent future cases. What makes this work unique, in my view, is the combination of life course criminology and feminist criminology, which allows me to examine how life events and gendered experiences intersect in shaping women’s pathways to homicide. Since little is known about female homicide offenders in Ghana, this study breaks new ground. For me, the most powerful aspect of this research is that it goes beyond numbers. Thus, it captures women’s voices, their pain, and their resilience, while also calling for policy reforms that respond directly to women’s needs.
Dr. Prince Boamah Abrah
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Beyond the crime: a life course and feminist criminological examination of women homicide motivations in Ghana, SN Social Sciences, August 2025, Springer Science + Business Media,
DOI: 10.1007/s43545-025-01161-2.
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