Women and Girls who Carry Knives: A Systematic Review.

Abstract

This systematic review explores knife carrying among women and girls, a behavior often overlooked in research and policy. Following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines and using the Population, Intervention, Comparison and Outcome (PICO) framework, seven databases were searched in February 2022. Studies were included if they examined female knife carrying or knife-related offenses, using all-female or mixed-gender samples, and published in English since 2000. Thirty-three studies met the inclusion criteria, including quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-method designs. Findings indicate that female knife carrying is often examined within broader weapon carrying research, with prevalence rates ranging from less than 1% to 52%, and influenced by sample type (e.g., gang-involved youth). Key situational factors include peer associations, gang membership, and self-protection, while psychological drivers such as status seeking, respect, and fear induction also emerged. However, most research is U.S.-based, limiting generalizability. This review highlights the need for further research on the unique social and psychological dynamics of female knife carrying to inform female-specific interventions.