Women, War & Drugs: Shedding Light On the Female Face Of Gang Violence

Guns, gangs, and murders have consumed the South Asian community over the past decade; resulting in the deaths of over 107 Indo-Canadian males. As the number of shootings increased, and the murders became more heinous, the community was forced to become aware of the existence of “Indo-Canadian gangs”. This decade long span of guns, drugs, and gangs sparked a series of news reports, radio talk shows, and discussions from local community leaders. As the shootings continued, the public quickly became overwhelmed and the Indo-Canadian community was ashamed of the often daily news reporting of “yet another shooting by a group of Indo-Canadian males”. With in a matter of a few years, the existence of “Indo-Canadian gangs” had amplified beyond anyone’s imagination and time had come to fix the problem. Community members held symposiums, focus groups, and programs to engage our “troubled” male youth, but an important element in the South Asian community was overlooked—the female population.

Although the community is beginning to come together, and continues to work to prevent youth violence, few individuals have questioned the role of females amidst the male “dominated” world of drugs and gangs. So where are the women? Where do South Asian women fit in the world of the media sensationalized Indo-Canadian gangs? What are women’s experiences and where are women’s voices amongst the overwhelming telling and re-telling of the male experience?

18-year-old Aman* was brave enough to give an insight as to how far females are involved in this complex web of drugs and gangs. A little timid and concerned about her identity being revealed, Aman slowly started disclosing selective information based on her own life experiences. At the age of 16, Aman began her journey of selling drugs to adolescents ranging in age from 14 to 20 years. She would sell various types of drugs on a daily basis, ranging from the “softer” drug of marijuana to the “harder” drugs of cocaine and heroin. Aman would often make several trips a week to her “supplier” just to keep up with the demands of her “clients,” as well as her own needs. The “business,” as Aman refers to it, was challenging to keep up with because of all the secrets and lies that came along with it.

Growing up in a traditional Indo-Canadian household with strict family rules, Aman found it difficult to communicate or relate to her parents. Her parents represented and valued the “strict” teachings and traditions of their eastern culture, whereas Aman found herself embracing the culture of her childhood—the “free” Canadian culture. This cultural difference of beliefs and values proved to strain her relationship with her parents. Where Aman sought after individuality and freedom, her parents pushed for control and strict discipline. As Aman grew older and her need for independence increased, so did her parents’ need of obedience. She resented her mother for complying with her father’s controlling nature, and her father for his abusive and alcoholic ways. Aman was immediately labeled the rebellious child, a child who, in her parents view, lacked respect, discipline, and rich eastern values. When asked how she would describe her family life, Aman replied, “I didn’t really associate with my parents because they were too busy worrying about the family reputation and what others would think of me rather than caring about me. My mom would scream at me, my dad would hit me, and I was never allowed to do anything. I had no freedom so I started sneaking out and eventually I started running away from home.”

This cycle of abuse, lack of parental support, and lack of communication prompted Aman to seek validation from her peers. During adolescence, a youth is more likely to build strong attachments with his/her peer group rather than his/her family. If the situation is typically bad at home, as was the case for Aman, the youth has a stronger drive for acceptance from his/her peers. In most cases, this peer group tends to be of a negative influence. As for Aman, she tended to affiliate with teens that shared the similar struggles in life. In talking about what her friends meant to her, she described them as “a family who accepted [her] for who [she] was and what [she] did.” She also goes further and adds, “They gave me unconditional love”. With the support of her friends, Aman would run away from home for weeks at a time, steal from local stores, get into fights with other youth, and more frighteningly, use and sell drugs. Since her friends would use drugs on a regular basis, Aman had a solid “client” base that quickly expanded as others got to know her.

Fortunately, this journey of drugs would only last her a year, which was forced to come to an end because of a police investigation. Had it not been for the investigation, Aman is certain that she would still be involved in the drug “business” today. When asked what compelled her to deal drugs, she casually answered, “It was easy money, everyone knew me, and since I used to use it a lot [myself], I usually got my stuff for free.”

In examining where most women fit amidst drugs and gangs, a common theme arises: small time dealers or accessories to male dealers. Aman classified herself as a small time dealer because of her place in the hierarchy. She was at the bottom pile of the hierarchy because she bought her “stuff” from a dealer higher up than her, and sold the drugs to people she knew. Most of the girls, however, who are even remotely involved in this lifestyle, tend to be in relationships with males in gangs and/or as dealers. If these girls do play a role in the drug and gang “business”, they usually act as mules for their boyfriends. In speaking to a young male who requested to remain unidentified stated: “Girls who date drug dealers usually help their boyfriends by setting up ‘appointments’, handling the money, and at times also selling the ‘merchandise’. In every essence, this operation runs like a ‘business’, women are never at the top. They always work under their male counterparts”. Furthermore, girls are usually given the role of carriers because it is “easier” for them to smuggle drugs to various places. According to this young male, “Women are rarely suspected by authorities. The chances of a female getting caught or even suspected of drugs is less likely than if a male was to do the same thing. Thus, the reason women are given the role of a mule.”

For the rare few women who are deeply immersed in drugs and gangs, their role also falls into that of a carrier, but on a higher level. There have been a couple of examples of young women charged with counts of distribution of hard drugs in the United States. These cases particularly shocked the Indo-Canadian community because on these occasions, the accused were not Indo-Canadian males, but Indo-Canadian females. This shock is not surprising to see because the South Asian community has long been under the impression that only males are capable of importing and exporting drugs. Furthermore, young women tend to be more violent now than in previous generations, which is apparent by the increased use of weapons in schoolyard fights. For instance, school officials have found several video clips taken by cell phones of girls as young as 13 engaging in fights with brass knuckles. These fights are now starting to extend from school based disputes to weekend quarrels, which tend to be more violent than those based during school hours. It is clear that aggressive acts of violence are starting to become more common in the female culture. Through talking to Aman and others, it is now apparent and important for us to realize that females are beginning to inch their way into this often deadly lifestyle.

For every young woman that is actively trying to acquaint herself to the world of drugs and gangs, a plethora more are deeply affected by the tragedy that this lifestyle leaves behind: that of doom, death, and destruction. For every life that is taken by this dangerous lifestyle, many more lives are left grieving, helpless, and tormented. Mothers, sisters, wives, and daughters mourn the deaths of the young men that were once in their lives—young men who lost their lives too soon to senseless violence. Just ask 25 year old Jaspreet*: She lost her 20 year old brother a few years ago to what police called an “Indo-Canadian gang war”. Upon hearing her brother’s name, Jaspreet broke down in tears. After a few moments in silence, Jaspreet built enough courage to share some of her and her family’s grief over her brother’s murder. When asked what ran through her mind when she first learnt of her brother’s murder, Jaspreet responded, “The news of his death was something surreal; no one was ready to believe it. My parents broke down instantly, and I stood there in a state of shock. I honestly felt that the police had the wrong house. This was not supposed to happen to my family, it couldn’t have been my brother, it just couldn’t.” When the news had finally sunk in, Jaspreet recalled feeling angry and completely shattered. She was not able to comprehend how a member of her family could get caught up in this lifestyle, how anyone could be stupid enough to get involved. Jaspreet soon realized that she had far too many questions and not enough answers. These questions continue to remain unanswered, especially since the one person that possibly could’ve answered them is now deceased. With her brother’s murderer still unknown, and the motive uncertain, Jaspreet and her family have been deprived of closure. They are not able to forget the past, nor are they able to look forward to the future; in essence then, they are trapped with the memories, the rumors, and the grief that today holds.

Although a few years have gone by, Jaspreet still finds it difficult to talk to her brother’s friends. On the one hand, they are a reminder that he was once a part of their lives, and on the other, she blames them for his death. If her brother was involved in this violence, then what’s to say that his friends are innocent? When asked what the community doesn’t know about this issue, Jaspreet answered, “The community does not see the pain of the families. You don’t have to be involved in drugs and gangs to be affected by this plague. My family didn’t ask for this to happen, and I highly doubt my brother wanted us to suffer. Once an individual dies, the problem doesn’t die with it, as everyone likes to believe, it lingers on and the family is left to pick up the pieces.”

Through talking to young women like Jaspreet and Aman, it is clear that the community needs to come together and approach this problem from various perspectives. Although great efforts have been made to solve this problem, many tend to forget that females also need and deserve equal attention, whether or not they are directly involved in this lifestyle. Not only do young girls like Aman require resources and assistance, but so do those like Jaspreet who are dragged and affected by this violence only after tragedy has struck.

*Aman /Jaspreet: name was changed for confidentiality purposes.