Editing Gang (section)

===Non-member women===
Women associated with gangs but who lack membership are typically categorized based on their relation to gang members.  A survey of Mexican American gang members and associates defined these categories as girlfriends, hoodrats, good girls, and relatives.<ref name="Valdez, A. 2007">Valdez, A. (2007). Mexican American Girls and Gang Violence. New York, New York: Palgrave Macmillan.</ref> Girlfriends are long-term partners of male gang members, and may have children with them. "[[Wikt:hoodrat|Hoodrats]]" are seen as being promiscuous and heavy drug and alcohol users. Gang members may engage in casual sex with these girls, but they are not viewed as potential long-term partners and are severely stigmatized by both men and women in gang culture. "Good girls" are long-term friends of members, often from childhood, and relatives are typically sisters or cousins.  These are fluid categories, and women often change status as they move between them.
Valdez found that women with ties to gang members are often used to hold illegal weapons and drugs, typically, because members believe the girls are less likely to be searched by police for such items.<ref name="Valdez, A. 2007"/>