When She Was Bad: Violent Women and the Myth of Innocence

When She Was Bad: Violent Women and the Myth of Innocence

by PatriciaPearson (Author)

Synopsis

Our culture believes that women are not naturally aggressive. And yet, every day evidence proves otherwise: women kill their children, their husbands, their lovers, and their lovers' mistresses. Women join their lovers in torture and killings, women are psychopaths, women are terrorists and violent criminals. In this highly provocative book, Patricia Pearson demonstrates over and over again that the idea (ideal?) of female innocence is pure myth. She argues that the two main culprits of the tendency to overlook extreme behaviour in women are feminists who have claimed victimhood for women and male society which finds it impossible to see women as powerful. Weaving the stories of violent women - from Myra Hindley and Rose West, from a mother who smothered eight of her children, from nurses who murdered their infant charges, to husband beaters - with the findings of criminologists, anthropologists and psychiatrists, Patricia Pearson makes a compelling case for redefining the debate about female violence and power.

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More Information

Format: Paperback
Pages: 304
Edition: New edition
Publisher: Virago Press Ltd
Published: 07 Oct 1999

ISBN 10: 1860495524
ISBN 13: 9781860495526
Book Overview: * Author PR to include features and interviews * Reading copies available

Media Reviews
Effectively cremates the myth of innate female innocence by parading a female chain gang of gals gone wrong ... compelling VANITY FAIR Gripping, controversial material KIRKUS REVIEWS She is a fine writer who knows how to combine graceful narrative with provocative zingers. I found much to agree with - and much to disagree with, but my tilt was definitely in her favour Susan Brownmiller This book breaks into taboo ares. SCOTSMAN
Author Bio
Patricia Pearson, award-winning feminist writer and crime journalist is the granddaughter of Lester Pearson, a former Prime Minister of Canada.