Abstract
This study aimed to understand the experience of conjugality of female partners of imprisoned men. Therefore, 12 female partners of imprisoned men participated in a qualitative study. The participants answered to a sociodemographic questionnaire and a semi-structured interview, which was analyzed via Thematic Analysis. The results showed that women used different strategies to stay close to their partners, engaging in their criminal treatment, which reflected in a perception of increased marital cohesion. The commitment to the relationship was related to the love felt towards the partners, the desire to maintain the marriage and the nuclear family, in addition to the experience of men’s jealousy. Moreover, it was identified difficulties in communication, conflicts related to dissatisfaction with prison context, and lack of privacy related to couple’s intimacy and sexuality.
Keywords:
Conjugality; Prison; Incarceration