Free Them All

This book offers a profound critique of the feminist reliance on prisons, advocating instead for a transformative approach to women's liberation in Free Them All.

In Free Them All, Gwenola Ricordeau presents a compelling argument against the conventional feminist reliance on the criminal justice system. She challenges the mainstream feminist narrative that advocates for incarceration as a means of protecting women from violence. Ricordeau contends that this carceral approach not only fails to enhance safety for women but often exacerbates harm, particularly for marginalized groups such as people of color, the economically disadvantaged, and LGBTQ individuals. Through her extensive research and activism, she highlights the detrimental effects of prisons on women's lives, urging a reevaluation of the strategies employed in the fight against misogynist violence.

Ricordeau draws from her two decades of experience as an abolitionist activist and scholar to provide a nuanced perspective on the intersection of feminism and the penal justice system. She emphasizes the importance of understanding the experiences of survivors of violence, criminalized women, and those with incarcerated family members. By illuminating the ways in which the system perpetuates violence rather than alleviating it, Free Them All advocates for a transformative approach to women's liberation that does not rely on punitive measures.

With a new foreword by Silvia Federici, this book serves as an essential guide for those seeking to understand the feminist case for prison abolition. It calls for a radical rethinking of how society addresses issues of violence and safety, emphasizing the need for solidarity and community-based solutions over incarceration. Free Them All is a vital contribution to contemporary feminist discourse and activism.