Book Review of Drug Mules: Women in the International Cocaine Trade by J. Fleetwood

The narrative which suggests that women involved in drug trafficking do so as a result of victimization, exploitation, and coerced participation has been addressed and refuted by Jennifer Fleetwood's book “Drug Mules: Women in the International Cocaine Trade”. This book gathers data by way of interviews with 16 women who were imprisoned for their participation in international drug trafficking. These interviews revealed the multidimensional nature of female drug traffickers, focusing on the considerable agency displayed by these women to pursue a career in drug trafficking. The author emphasizes that the women interviewed often attested to their desire to partake in the drug trade for reasons that were much like those typically attributed to men, thus disputing the stereotypical understanding of how gender impacts the decision making process of drug traffickers around the world.