When the bough breaks: Mothers and their children's trauma

Child maltreatment is a serious problem in the United States, and mothers are tasked with the role of protecting their children from harm. Women have strict gender roles in society and performing gender is deeply rooted in women’s identity. Role expectations are perhaps their most prevalent during caregiving responsibilities such as motherhood or caring for children and aging parents. These role expectations include being selfless, quietly strong, and resilient. However, the cost of such expectations can include strain that impacts the physical and mental health of women. What happens when women engage in behaviors that are contrary to their gender role such as being unable to care for others or intentionally harming their own children? How do these gender roles and societal expectations play out within the criminal justice system? This mixed methods dissertation aims to examine gender performativity among women, its intersectionality among mothers from marginalized groups, and whether women experience different consequences within the criminal justice system compared to men. While there are many studies that examine gender performativity, maternal filicide, and offender motivation separately, this three-article dissertation will study the intersection of these phenomena from a postmodern feminist perspective and how they contribute to the understanding of societal reactions to female offenders. This dissertation will contribute to the body of literature on the topics of mothering, gender performativity, social inequalities, and child maltreatment. It will also provide insight and data that can directly impact policy and application for practitioners who engage with female offenders.