The Tough Girls of the Federal District

It is a worldwide trend; in Brazil, and elsewhere in the world, girls are playing an increasingly prominent role in gangs, participating in a more daring, conspicuous and active way. Parallel to an increase in the victimization and vulnerability of youth, we see a growth of these social networks across the country. In Brazil’s capital, gangs have become a pronounced social issue that represents a typical portrait of Brazilian youth who live on the threshold between legal and illegal.

Sociologist Miriam Abramovay (photo), research coordinator for the Latin-American Information Technology Network (Ritla), has been monitoring the growing role of women in gangs for more than ten years. “I noticed that the few girls who participated in these networks had very subordinate roles: they basically would help their ‘gang member’ boyfriends. I also noticed that there weren’t any all women gangs here, like we see in the United States, for example.”

This interesting fact led her to set up a 3-year study on gender relationships and representations in gangs in the Federal District. The results are included in the 314-page book "Ganges, gênero e juventudes: donas de rocha e sujeitos cabulosos" (Gangs, gender and youth), published in June of 2010, an unprecedented study on gender issues among groups of Brazilian youth.

The study came to various conclusions on gender relations within gangs in Brasilia. The interviews brought up issues such as unplanned pregnancies, abortions, broken hearts, women fighting over men, dating and betrayal.

The guys in the gangs replicate traditional chauvinist behavior patterns, such as using derogatory terms for the girls. But the study also shows that some girls are respected, regarded as brothers, partners in crime; they are protected at parties or in fights.  These girls seem to have earned this respect by proving their courage and loyalty to the gang instead of through an affectionate or sexual relationship with other gang members.

These girls don’t necessarily come off as fragile or submissive. “A lot has changed in gender relations, but a lot has stayed the same: if before girls were only the girlfriends who played a secondary role, today's gangs have all-women groups and sectors and women have taken on a more clearly defined function. They no longer play only a secondary role. But Abramovay confirms that there are still all male gangs that treat girls very poorly.

According to her study, women in gangs usually exert their power over other girls or new members. In interviews and focus groups, researchers observed that women talk more when they are among themselves, but would be quiet in the presence of men and let them speak instead.  

Researchers also noticed that not all the girls break with the traditional gender roles; many continue to perform more subordinate roles - distracting the police, serving as decoy or carrying the spray can. But there are also girls who don’t accept these restrictions and will paint graffiti, fight and confront the police and rival gangs.

Deep immersion

To understand the role of girls in Brasilia’s gangs, the research team immersed itself in the world of gangs in Brazil's capital. The study mapped the daily routine of 13 main graffiti gangs that are active in the capital, creating a profile of its members through comprehensive field work, ongoing monitoring and interviews with 73 members. “We selected gangs that are primarily involved in graffiti. On an individual level, some gang members may sell drugs, but not to the extent that the activity qualified as drug trade,” Abramovay explains.

The researcher states that what these youth really want is to occupy a space in the city. More specifically, the walls. And they do this through graffiti. The coordinator of the study explains that gang members have difficulties in interacting with the city and its spaces and therefore wish to leave their public mark with their signatures. 

In the book's foreword, anthropologist Luiz Eduardo Soares defines gangs as ‘social networks of youth who invest their energy in transgressional behavior in the urban environment, using violence as common language’.
Abramovay states, “They feel anger and resentment towards society. They feel wronged and without a place of their own. They heavily criticize the police and politicians.”

The study concluded that the average age of gang members ranges between 16 and 17 years, although there are some exceptions. Their daily routine varies, but the majority of members are in school, have a job and some even attend university. “The gang is part of a double life they lead. Being there, belonging to the gang and spraying graffiti in risky and dangerous places is the kick that motivates the participation of these youth,” Abramovay reveals.

The book is the result of a partnership between Ritla, the Federal Government's Department of Human Rights and the Central Union of Favelas (Cufa-DF). Max Maciel, general coordinator of Cufa-DF and co-author of the book, explains that the Cufa served as a bridge between the research group and the gangs.  He explained that his life experience was very similar to those of the Brasilia gang members: the search for self-affirmation, recognition, power and status; the same problems and concerns, but very different paths.

“The Cufas are communities that deal with several urban realities, including gangs. That’s why we were able to be a bridge between the two groups and, of course, be an intermediary they could trust, that speaks a language they understand,” explains Maciel.

Architecture fosters gang formation

Miriam Abramovay believes that the city’s architecture – designed by Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer – fostered gang formation. “Brasilia's architecture is very treacherous. It doesn’t allow for any social intermixing. Gang rivalry between groups from different city blocks has been around for a long time, practically since the city was built,” argues Miriam. 

There is an ongoing power struggle between gangs and the occupation of public and community space has crossed the boundaries of the virtual world and invaded Orkut, the preferred social network site of male and female gang members, which was also analyzed in the study.

“The gang members in the Federal District have set up an interesting form of communication via Orkut. They use this social network to set up meetings, schedule fights and exchange insults. They mainly use the network to show off”, confirms Miriam.

The gangs in Brasília are very different from the maras and pandillas, typical gangs found in Central American countries, such as El Salvador, Nicaragua, Honduras and Guatemala. According to Abramovay the main difference is the fluidity of Brasilia’s gangs. “The maras are extremely hierarchical and organized, composed of girls and boys that, often, have been organized in the United States.” 
Their sense of belonging and commitment is so great that gang members even share stolen goods with the other members. The sociologist believes that the gangs in Brasilia have a different rationale: they are more fluid, the youth have other daily activities – many go to school or work. “The maras are much more professional and violent. Here in Brasilia theft and even death sometimes occurs. But there it is much more pronounced and there is easier access to weapons. In those countries, society has a much greater fear of gangs than we see here,” states Abramovay.

She believes that public opinion of youth is very negative. When it comes to gangs, public opinion is even more negative; society barely knows who is who or what their rationale or group dynamics are. “In general, society fears young people. We are the ones who end up criminalizing our young people. Brasília has to be more inclusive.” Abramovay recommends that the Secretaries of Education, Health and Public Security work together to develop inclusive policies for these teenagers.

Translated by Alexandra de Vries

Click to download the research (in Portuguese)