This study was based on direct observation, informal and formal discussions, and in-depth interviews with a group of women drug dealers, their friends, families, and associates. Research began with interviews of over 60 women in a Melbourne prison, 16 of whom went on to form a core group of key informants. These women were selected because they were all actively involve in networks or businesses that distributed illicit drugs. Research was conducted in a variety of contexts, including homes and workplaces, dealer's cars and street sites, as well as prison, courtrooms, and police stations. The 16 women drug dealers were a diverse group, and based on observation of the drug scene in inner Melbourne over some years, they represented a range of typical female dealers. The study found that skills and orientations associated with familial relations played a key part in the most sensitive aspects of the drug business. For the most part they relied on their reputations as fair dealers to secure their share of the market. Conversely, ruthlessness and violence were comparatively peripheral activities, even though the women showed that these traits and behaviors were well within their repertoires of action. 36 references