Based on an ethnographic research conducted in women’s prisons in Rio de Janeiro, this article reflects on the ways in which some incarcerated women understand the meaning of the punishment imposed on them. More specifically, from field reports, I describe how some women interpret punishment regarding the agent responsible for their incarceration. My reflections revolve around the phrase that titles this article, “God put me here,” recorded several times in my field notebook during conversations with different women. Considering these testimonies, I discuss the following question: How do women describe and give meaning to imprisonment and sentencing?
Keywords:
penalty; prison; women; incarceration; ethnography