Protest at MOJ in London, Saturday 12th

[EmpressaurusWitchDoesntBurn]

‘No Males in Female Jails’ protest this Saturday, starting 1pm outside the Ministry of Justice, 102 Petty France, SW1H 9AJ. Opposite St James’s Park tube.

Geordieoldgirl

Can you tell us anymore about the accounts you heard?

Sorry I think I posted early. There were several speakers coming from different angles, so this is the overall picture that I remember.

The overwhelming majority of women in prison are not there for violent crimes, and they are frequently vulnerable people who have suffered male Violence, and are very different from male prisoners who are far more violent. Sex offenders in particular are overwhelmingly male and especially manipulative.

Trans women could be accommodated in men’s jails in their Units for vulnerable prisoners. However, they are already being placed in women’s jails (don’t remember numbers) The legality of this practice has been challenged by a woman inmate who was herself the victim of a sexual attack by one of them. But the courts found that this approach was legal on the basis of respecting the human rights of trans Women, which seem to be accorded greater importance than the need to accommodate women prisoners with dignity and safety.

The presence of trans women in women’s jails is at the very least disruptive and intimidating, and stops women participating in excercise, social, and enrichment activities. Any questioning or private conversations about the issue can lead to accusations of bullying and sanctions. It seems that trans women are treated with greater consideration than other inmates. They are allowed to use showers at the same time as women prisoners so they are able to expose themselves and violate women’s privacy. This breeds anxiety and fear and women have been subjected to sexual attacks.

The law needs to be reformed. There will be other protests in the future.

I have been following it on Twitter (I am a bot ) and it looked full of people I recognised in good humour making a good case.

Well done women. One day I will be along too.

childrenandwomenfirst.org/public-meetings

I first heard Kate of KPSS on the Public Meetings organised by Baroness Nicholson. Everything that was done in prisons to help women, such as separate showering times, was appealed. They can't even use a separate risk assessment tool so anything you hear about mitigation by using risk assessment needs to be taken with a pinch of salt. It is inhumane.

It's always the way isn't it? You ask the TQ+ lobby for ways of meeting female needs in this too and the answer is always NO. No mitigation, no protection, no care. Increasingly TQ+ 'rights' are the rights to oppress and distress women. It's not a bug, it's a feature. And there is zero good will or care on the TQ+ side.

And then they wail about the intolerance of females daring to protest.

Yes, was just coming on to say I think it was Dr Jessica Taylor

I’m sure there are many women who wanted to be there today but were afraid of the repercussions, for lots of reasons. I was one of them. I know this situation is barbaric and reflects appallingly on the government. The sooner they sort it out the better. I gather that prison governors hands are tied, this comes straight from government…I hope women prisoners know that there are many of us doing what we can, to raise awareness of the situation.just because we weren’t at the protest doesn’t mean we don’t care. This situation will change-it’s just horrific to know that female inmates are currently housed with some males convicted of sexual offences against women-who can justify that?

Geordieoldgirl Thank you.

I first heard Kate of KPSS on the Public Meetings organised by Baroness Nicholson. Everything that was done in prisons to help women, such as separate showering times, was appealed. They can't even use a separate risk assessment tool so anything you hear about mitigation by using risk assessment needs to be taken with a pinch of salt. It is inhumane.

I didn't know this. You are right, it's inhumane.

Any male with a GRC is classified as female, so the risk assessment tool for male sexual offenders isn’t used on them in prison or for probation… think about the ramifications of that. Violent male sexual offenders are being released into society without the correct risk assessments being done.