Prof James Treadwell speaks out.

[Jeanhatchet]

I asked James Treadwell a Professor of Criminology who is not known for taking
the "popular" stance what he thought of the housing of transwomen prisoners.

He confirmed that he believes housing them in a male prison estate is the safest option.

"I would put into male estate, because small number really do present a risk in womens estate. When put in mens estate, (as I have seen) it is not the end of problem, but most mens #prisons work hard to deal with any vulnerabilities that arise."

This was a brave move and he did discuss the vulnerability of trans prisoners in jail in a later tweet but it is important to have academics and scientists stand up to tell the truth.

twitter.com/jeanhatchet/status/1021627662933127169?s=21

post edited by MNHQ at OP's request**

Hi Jean, I think you should report your thread to HQ and ask them to change the prohibited terminology, otherwise it’ll get zapped.

Good on him.

He is certainly not alone:

Andrea Albutt, president of the Prison Governors Association said in June 2018: “I have seen women feeling very threatened by transgender prisoners’ presence. Women prisoners are very vulnerable.”

Frances Crook of the Howard League, a prison reform campaign, has said that she is worried that ‘some men with a history of extreme violence and sexual violence against women have found a new way of exercising aggression towards women’.

The British Psychological Society has said this “psychologists working with forensic patients are aware of a number of cases where men convicted of sex crimes have falsely claimed to be transgender females for a number of reasons”

Dr James Barrett of the British Association of Gender Identity Specialists has said this: “It has been rather naïvely suggested that nobody would seek to pretend transsexual status in prison if this were not actually the case. There are, to those of us who actually interview the prisoners, in fact very many reasons why people might pretend this”

Good for him

Good for him. And thanks for raising the question, Jean.

This is one reason I'm so opposed to self ID. At least with the current GRA, there is safeguarding to ensure that men who say they want to transition dont hate women.

If people are denied a GRC, its for a reason.

At least with the current GRA, there is safeguarding to ensure that men who say they want to transition dont hate women.

They might still hate women but at least it tries to screen out people doing it just because they hate women or for nefarious purposes*

Thank goodness people are beginning to speak out about this.

It's been feeling like some sort of collective madness has been taking over

Prisons are an extreme but very real example of why self ID is so dangerous. If it can’t pass the ultimate stress test without extra intervention then it’ll surely fail elsewhere as well. That’s the point of stress testing, and considering the epidemic numbers of rapes and sexual assaults that don’t get reported, you can bet this is the tip of the iceberg. It’s indisputable really, if politicians were sensible and responsible enough to consider it.

If it can’t pass the ultimate stress test without extra intervention then it’ll surely fail elsewhere as well.

Exactly this. The impact on the most vulnerable women should be the litmus test.

(Dear Stella Creasy: when reflecting on "privilege" as you tell us you like to do, this is the reflection you need to be doing.)

Indeed, and prisons are highly regulated environments, with close scrutiny as to who can enter, when and why. These assaults have happened, even with all the protections and regulations being in place, so what does that say about spaces that have no protection or regulation? Also, how long did it take? How long did it take for male inmates to cotton on to the fact that they could identify as women and be moved to the mail estate? Predators aren’t stupid. If they were it would be easy to avoid them and they wouldn’t be a problem. To suggest that people wouldn’t abuse the system is either incredibly naive or incredibly stupid, and demonstrably incorrect in this case.

It’s also great to see Jessica Eaton speaking out about being contacted by Social workers concerned about the obvious links between CSA and kids identifying as trans.

Moved to the female estate I meant.

To suggest that people wouldn’t abuse the system is either incredibly naive or incredibly stupid, and demonstrably incorrect in this case.

Well, quite. As someone sensible said to me the other day, the basis of all safeguarding, whether for vulnerable adults or minors, is the assumption that abusers (whoever they may be/whatever demographic they may come from) will be trying to infiltrate and gain access. That is the point of safeguarding.

Just wanted to say Jean that I love and appreciate all the work you do.

You have inspired me to run around my park opposite (I don't live in a posh area), and I will keep you and all the women you ride for in my thoughts.

I am happy to see that a man has agreed with you. He does seem to understand logic and reasoning. Which is refreshing.

James treadwell was my university lecturer many moons ago. I’m so pleased he understands this issue!

@placemats oh good for you!!! And thank you x

It is so obvious that no one born male should be in the female estate, the issue of forced pregnancy is the most glaring.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3312614-Should-the-State-consider-that-locking-women-up-with-rapists-will-lead-to-unplanned-new-lives

Gay men, transgender and other born males who are vulnerable in prison belong in the male estate but with special provision/protections. Vulnerability doesn't make a male belong among women, neither does a piece of paper or a lack of penis.

At least with the current GRA, there is safeguarding to ensure that men who say they want to transition dont hate women

There's no "character test" component in the current GRA process

though that's a god idea - maybe we should be including in our response to the consultation that anyone who has been convicted of a sexual assault against a woman should be barred from being eligible to get a GRC (I'd prefer the bar to be as low as police information regarding suspicions about involvement in sexual assault on women, but I doubt that would get enough traction)