“Passionate and Willful” Girls

Despite attempts at legislative reform girls are still being held in juvenile justice and medical facilities, both public and private, on the basis of relatively minor, status and cnon-legal offences and behaviour.1 This paper questions some of the understandings of girlhood, in particular in regard to their sexuality and independence, that underpin these practices. Drawing upon research in education, psychology and adolescent studies, it is argued that practices which seek to protect girls by denying their sexuality and independence, may not ultimately be in the girls' best interests.