oked ▁by ▁the ▁ab use ▁from ▁the ▁men ▁they ▁were ▁with . ▁Frances ▁was ▁in car cer ated ▁for ▁accident ally ▁killing ▁her ▁husband ▁in ▁an ▁effort ▁to ▁protect ▁herself ▁from ▁his ▁physical ▁ab use , ▁Lil ’ ▁M ama ▁for ▁killing ▁her ▁step father ▁after ▁being ▁ra ped ▁and ▁im pre gn ated , ▁Nik ki ▁for ▁ste aling ▁cars ▁at ▁the ▁request ▁of ▁her ▁boy friend , ▁and ▁W et ▁for ▁shooting ▁her ▁ex - boy friend ' s ▁mist ress . ▁These ▁women ▁committed ▁cr imes ▁that ▁were ▁in ▁response ▁to ▁a ▁man ' s ▁ab use ▁of ▁power ▁and ▁creates ▁a ▁sense ▁that ▁these ▁women , ▁although ▁crim inals , ▁are ▁innoc ent ▁women ▁who ▁were ▁manip ulated ▁and ▁taken ▁advantage ▁of ▁in ▁a ▁man ' s ▁world . ▁As ▁they ▁attempt ▁to ▁stand ▁up ▁against ▁their ▁male ▁oppon ents , ▁Bar net te ▁demonstr ates ▁that ▁these ▁in m ates ▁were ▁dismiss ed ▁by ▁the ▁prison ▁system ▁and ▁treated ▁une qu ally . ▁ ▁A ▁battle ▁for ▁authority ▁and ▁respect ▁is ▁created ▁with ▁a ▁division ▁between ▁the ▁men , ▁who ▁are ▁officers ▁holding ▁a ▁powerful ▁position ▁in ▁the ▁prison , ▁and ▁the ▁women , ▁who ▁are ▁the ▁in m ates ▁subject ed ▁to ▁ab use ▁and ▁har sh ▁labor ▁conditions . ▁Because ▁the ▁officers ▁of ▁this ▁film ▁ab use ▁the ▁women ▁and ▁are ▁the ▁ant agon ists ▁in ▁this ▁film , ▁the ▁men ▁that ▁play ▁these ▁roles ▁are ▁cast ▁as ▁the ▁enemy ▁against ▁the ▁female ▁in m ates