Who Is Gina Dent? Inside Her Life, Partnership with Angela Davis, and Radical Abolition Work
By Sarah Jenkins
Published in 2022 by Haymarket Books, Abolition. Feminism. Now. stands as a definitive manifesto challenging mainstream anti-violence movements. Co-written by Dent, Davis, Erica R. Meiners, and Beth E. Richie, the text critiques "carceral feminism", the tendency of mainstream women's advocacy groups to rely on policing, prosecution, and imprisonment to address domestic and sexual abuse.
Dent and her co-authors argue that turning to the police to stop interpersonal harm merely invites state violence into vulnerable communities, disproportionately punishing Black, brown, and queer survivors. Drawing on decades of grassroots community defense projects, the authors insist that anti-carceral strategies are not abstract experiments. They are practices honed by marginalized organizers who have resolved conflicts outside courtrooms and police stations for generations. The book demands an explicit rejection of state punitive power as a remedy for structural injustice.
| Core Theoretical Pillar | Traditional Carceral Feminism | Dent & Collaborators' Abolitionist Approach |
|---|---|---|
| Response to Interpersonal Harm | Mandatory arrest laws, aggressive prosecution, expanded prison sentences. | Community accountability, transformative justice circles, survivor-led restitution. |
| View of the State & Police | Neutral protective apparatus capable of shielding victims from abuse. | Primary engine of systemic violence that escalates harm against marginalized people. |
| Resource Allocation Priorities | Expanded municipal police budgets, specialized court units, correctional staff. | Divestment from prisons; investment in public housing, mental healthcare, and living wages. |
Sarah Jenkins is a veteran tech journalist with over 12 years of experience covering artificial intelligence, mobile innovations, and digital ethics. Her insights have appeared in leading technology publications worldwide.
