Deathscapes

Andrea Pickett 13k -Resisting Systems of Violence

Deathscapes

Resisting Systems of Violence, Resisting Carceral Feminism

An illustration depicts five women standing together in a row in front of a brick wall topped with razor wire. They each hold a placard. The first one reads 'Schools not jails', the second reads 'Build Communities not Prisons', the third held by Aunty Vickie Roach says 'No Justice in prison for Aboriginal Women', the fourth held by Amanda George reads 'Strip Searches are Sexual Assault' and the final one reads 'Decarceration now'. [imagecaption] Image: Flat Out. [/imagecaption]

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We cannot eliminate violence by entrenching a violent system.

We have to look at demolishing it – and to do that, we have to listen to the women who are at the intersections. If we do that, we will not look to ‘prison’ or the ‘justice system’ as a solution to violence, but will instead see it for what it is, an inherently violent institution intent on harming those who have already been harmed in order to entrench domination over those who are deemed as ‘other’ and ‘unworthy’.

Amy McQuire, Darumbal and South Sea Islander journalist

 ‘Carceral feminism ignores the ways in which race, class, gender identity, and immigration status leave certain women more vulnerable to violence and that greater criminalization often places these same women at risk of state violence. Casting policing and prisons as the solution to domestic violence both justifies increases to police and prison budgets and diverts attention from the cuts to programs that enable survivors to escape, such as shelters, public housing, and welfare. And finally, positioning police and prisons as the principal antidote discourages seeking other responses, including community interventions and long-term organizing.’

‘We don’t have to deploy state violence in a disastrous attempt to curb domestic violence’

Victoria Law, Against Carceral Feminism

 

 

 


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This research was primarily supported under the Australian Research Council’s Discovery Projects funding scheme from 2016-2020.

Partial funding was received from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada’s Partnership Development Grants scheme in 2016-2017.

The views expressed herein are those of the named authors and are not necessarily those of the funders.

All content © artists and deathscapes.org, 2017.

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Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander viewers are respectfully advised that this website contains images of and references to deceased persons.

All viewers are respectfully advised that the site contains images of and references to the deaths in custody of Indigenous peoples, Black people and refugees that may cause distress.

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