Summary: | In this paper we analyze women’s participation in illicit cannabis plantations in cities of the Vale do São Francisco, in northeastern Brazil, based on five life histories of women who have engaged in this activity. In these in-depth interviews we explore in deep the objective and subjective elements of the relationship between women, institutions and actors involved in this activity, revealing that even in a predominantly male activity, female participation should be highlighted due to: a) its positive influence on crops’ productivity and profitability; b) its relation to the performance of specific activities; and c) the relative protection from police repression and violence, originated by the fact that their activity is not linked to the construction of a criminal career and has certain invisibility.
|