Dark Ladies just like Bosses. Violence as a Resource in the Female Criminal Careers

Neapolitan women have always had a significant role in the illegal market and in the organization of criminal trafficking. They have developed over time a specific criminal capacity including the use of violence. Figures, roles, social codes rooted in a tradition are reinterpreted and transformed in new criminal practices. In the last decades the presence of women in the camorra network has become more evident, showing an ever-changing and articulate array of figures. By now the female component of the camorra is becoming increasingly specialized and aims to top positions in the clan. At the base of this emergency there are several factors including: the enforcement of “new” laws, the evolution (globalised) of the drug market but also elements related to the way the camorra is organized and to the female universe. Under various points of view these women have by now homologated to male bosses: they use the violence against the criminal competitors; they reach top level positions in some clans through fast criminal careers; they murder like bosses. Starting from data regarding the evolution of the female presence and role in the clan, this contribute intends to present some profiles of women of the camorra. There will also be advanced some thoughts about these women are skilled at using female resources (physical beauty, fascination, resolution, organizational skills, and also blood relation) as criminal resources, through a ruthless exploitation of violence.