Research Framework: A principle of the gender-responsive approach is the emphasis on relationships. According to relational theory, women, unlike men, acquire their identity and self-esteem primarily through their relationships with others. Scientific literature shows that the relationships that women in the justice system have with their loved ones are often characterized by violence and trauma, and are often complicated by the use of psychoactive substances.

Objectives: This study focuses on the way in which court-appointed women talk about their marital or romantic relationships, at a crucial moment in their trajectory, i.e., when they are contemplating their steps towards their (re)integration into society. The research also aims to explore how these relationships may have influenced their trajectories, in order to better understand their potential role in their future.

Methodology: Based on a corpus of qualitative interviews with 25 women, a thematic analysis was carried out.

Results: The results revealed two relational patterns: one marked by violence and domination, and the other by love and practicality. The importance of early motherhood in relationships was also highlighted in our results.

Conclusions: These results highlight the importance of fostering and encouraging the development of healthy relationships for women in the process of social reintegration, in all their relationships.

Contribution: Our results have given these women a voice in their relationship dynamics, often named by field practitioners but rarely studied in the literature.

• women
• motherhood
• justicialization
• prison
• romantic relationships
• cultural-relational theory

https://journals.openedition.org/efg/22077