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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

Supporting women in prison.

91 replies

dylexicdementor11 · Yesterday 10:48

I’m delighted to see so many mumsnetters are concerned over the welfare of women in prison. However, I thought it might be good to point out that there are many organizations doing incredible work within women’s prisons.
If you have the time to engage with the it would be wonderful if you could support them and find more information about the issues women are actually facing in prison.

Here are some links that may point you in the right direction.

https://www.womeninprison.org.uk/

Home - Women In Prison

Women in Prison supports women affected by the criminal justice system and campaign to end the harm it causes.

https://www.womeninprison.org.uk

OP posts:
Lovelyview · Yesterday 16:17

Lexibletheflexible · Yesterday 16:08

That's for the government to do. People who want to help actual prisoners rather than play politics listen to what their concerns are. Some were deeply concerned about the idea of staff being all female because just as many had suffered abuse and abandonment from female caregivers. Many of those same people experienced sexual abuse from men at the same time or as a direct result of the neglect and abuse from female caregivers.

They don't view the issue through a gendered lens. They are more inclined to think that anyone who would want power over people who have had their rights stripped away are a bit fucked up anyway.

So they won't see it as men being the issue so much so as anyone who gains that power will misuse it and reducing the workforce by removing all men (who often make up most of the workforce in a prison) will reduce their chances of meeting the angels that were helpful to them and treated them with dignity.

So should we ban male POs from women's prisons or shouldn't we? I'm confused about what your point is?

Raera · Yesterday 16:32

Instead of arguing on here, take proper action and apply to join the IMB.
I've been doing it for years, but recently had to resign due to my health problems.
https://imb.org.uk/

Prison volunteers doing extraordinary jobs - Independent Monitoring Boards

Independent Monitoring Boards are staffed by unpaid prison volunteers in every prison in England and Wales, and immigration detention facility across the UK.

https://imb.org.uk

Lexibletheflexible · Yesterday 16:39

Lovelyview · Yesterday 16:17

So should we ban male POs from women's prisons or shouldn't we? I'm confused about what your point is?

I think we should. Current femsle prisoners do not. Their views trump mine

Lexibletheflexible · Yesterday 16:43

SerafinasGoose · Yesterday 16:11

That point is reasonable.

Is there a thread somewhere about this? Or are you suggesting that because this is one area of concern people shouldn't be focused on another?

Sounds very like whataboutery to me.

I'm saying that if prisoners were ever your concern, you'd listen to them abiut their concerns and address those. They wouldn't only interest you because you can shoehorn in your own hyper-interest in trans women by using female prisoners.

Theeyeballsinthesky · Yesterday 17:06

Well I'm shocked, shocked I tell you that this is a wafer thinly disguised scolding thread about what women should or should not devote time too 🙄

IwantToRetire · Yesterday 17:17

Also the slightly patronising tone as though Women in Prison and other groups concerned with women who are incarcerated have never been mentioned on FWR before!

thisandthats · Yesterday 17:21

MrsOvertonsWindow · Yesterday 13:32

Ah. So the purpose of your post is to use the plight of women in prison as a reason to tone police women posting on this board? You're not happy with comments about women being compelled to share cells and showers with men claiming to be women? And being punished for misgendering etc which no doubt contributes to why they keep quiet about any voyeurism & indecent exposure that happens?

Got it.

Not sure if its the same poster or another who had been in prison and explained that male screws are a far bigger problem.

Female staffing seems a sensible place to start otherwise every female prisoner is effectively sharing a cell with a man. Ones with keys.

thisandthats · Yesterday 17:23

Lovelyview · Yesterday 15:37

Feel free to start threads about the other issues women in prison face. I'm not sure why you're framing it as women shouldn't be concerned about men in women's prisons. It seems odd if you actually care about women in prison.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4glne43101o

But she did, the opening of this thread didn’t mention trans at all

Luckydog7 · Yesterday 17:44

I'm confused by the 'problem is minuscule' argument.

It rather reminds me of the argument about meningitis or polio not being a problem and therefore we shouldn't vaccinate our kids.

Well yes, the reason (men in woman's prisons) is a 'small' problem is because of the hard work of campaign groups (some who met here!) who have raised awareness and litigated on this very issue and as a result there are likely a fraction of the transwomen in female prisons as there would be otherwise. The fragrant Isla of purple leggings fame, being just one.

The very fact that there are still ANY in woman's prisons means there is still some kind of loop hole or undermining of the law. While that is still the case, women's prisons and the women in them are still at risk.

teawamutu · Yesterday 18:06

Theeyeballsinthesky · Yesterday 17:06

Well I'm shocked, shocked I tell you that this is a wafer thinly disguised scolding thread about what women should or should not devote time too 🙄

Not OP's first rodeo on the 'this is really not the main issue in this particular area why aren't you talking about - ooo look a squirrel' horse either.

cherryicecreamisnice · Yesterday 18:10

@dylexicdementor11 if you’re bored, why don’t you go on all the threads on MN and tell women they’re too concerned with the wrong thing?

Bosky · Today 01:57

Lexibletheflexible · Yesterday 14:49

Doesn't happen. If you cared about female prisoners, you wouldn't want anyone sharing a cell with anyone else for dignity and privacy reasons.

What exactly do you claim "doesn't happen"? These have all been reported in the press:

  • women being compelled to share cells and showers with men claiming to be women
  • women prisoners being punished for misgendering
  • women prisoners being subjected to voyeurism & indecent exposure by male inmates
  • women prisoners (and women prison staff) being sexually assaulted by male prisoners incarcerated in women's prisons.
I am reminded of the way this usually goes:
  • That never happens
  • It does happen but not a lot - this is a fuss about nothing
  • It happens all the time and most women are not bothered about it - only bigots
  • It is a good thing and we should encourage more of it (because it makes men happy).
I would hope that the last one is out of bounds on this thread.

It is surprising that some PP claim that women prisoners are not bothered about men being incarcerated with them when male prisoners in the men's estate have expressed concern and disgust that violent sex offenders and paedophiles get "Prison Onset Dysphoria" in order to avoid being placed on the Sex Offender Programme and some are then moved into women's prisons.

@dylexicdementor11 This is the "Feminism Sex & Gender Discussions Board, by the way, which is why there is a focus on the impact on women prisoners of men being incarcerated with them. There is a "Feminism Chat" Board for threads like this one which are NOT about "Sex & Gender".

Women face punishment for using wrong pronouns
https://insidetime.org/newsround/women-face-punishment-for-using-wrong-pronouns/

‘Trans-imposters’
https://insidetime.org/mailbag/trans-imposters/

Are they stupid?
https://insidetime.org/mailbag/are-they-stupid/

‘Some trans prisoners are faking it’, MoJ study finds
https://insidetime.org/newsround/some-trans-prisoners-are-faking-it-moj-study-finds/

(ps. I can't help noticing that you and the OP not only are of one mind but also have such similar User Names, lexically and semantically. What are the chances!)

WearyAuldWumman · Today 02:14

teawamutu · Yesterday 14:29

It's so obvious, isn't it? From halfway through the OP I could tell.

They all try so hard to pull off that faux-naif, wide-eyed tone. They're never quite intelligent enough to do it convincingly.

I'm seeing the "I don't understand what you're trying to say" ruse being used on other threads on the board.

In real life, I've seen it being used by men who don't want to admit to losing an argument to a woman or women.

Lovelyview · Today 07:58

Lexibletheflexible · Yesterday 16:43

I'm saying that if prisoners were ever your concern, you'd listen to them abiut their concerns and address those. They wouldn't only interest you because you can shoehorn in your own hyper-interest in trans women by using female prisoners.

Men pretending to be women and accessing women's spaces is my area of concern. It affects women in many different areas of life. It has affected me personally. I can campaign on whatever I like.

dylexicdementor11 · Today 08:06

Lovelyview · Today 07:58

Men pretending to be women and accessing women's spaces is my area of concern. It affects women in many different areas of life. It has affected me personally. I can campaign on whatever I like.

Quite. I believe the PP’s point was to clarify that if people were concerned about the needs of women prisoners, they would listen to women prisoners.
But as you say, that is not your concern. 😊

OP posts:
Lovelyview · Today 08:19

dylexicdementor11 · Today 08:06

Quite. I believe the PP’s point was to clarify that if people were concerned about the needs of women prisoners, they would listen to women prisoners.
But as you say, that is not your concern. 😊

I look forward you coming back and apologising when that trans identified male 'Alexandra' Stewart is found guilty of sexually assaulting a woman in a women's prison then. 99% of sex offenders are male. Even if every woman prisoner voted to include male prisoners in the female estate, it still wouldn't be the right thing to do.

Ereshkigalangcleg · Today 08:21

teawamutu · Yesterday 14:29

It's so obvious, isn't it? From halfway through the OP I could tell.

They all try so hard to pull off that faux-naif, wide-eyed tone. They're never quite intelligent enough to do it convincingly.

Yep I was side eyeing the op from the start. Perhaps people could get on with doing the things they feel are more important, rather than lecturing women on MN about their priorities?

dylexicdementor11 · Today 08:24

Lovelyview · Today 08:19

I look forward you coming back and apologising when that trans identified male 'Alexandra' Stewart is found guilty of sexually assaulting a woman in a women's prison then. 99% of sex offenders are male. Even if every woman prisoner voted to include male prisoners in the female estate, it still wouldn't be the right thing to do.

You are missing the point, but that’s okay. 😊
I’ll bow out of this thread now, but I’m glad that some people have found the resources useful.

OP posts:
Ereshkigalangcleg · Today 08:25

Luckydog7 · Yesterday 17:44

I'm confused by the 'problem is minuscule' argument.

It rather reminds me of the argument about meningitis or polio not being a problem and therefore we shouldn't vaccinate our kids.

Well yes, the reason (men in woman's prisons) is a 'small' problem is because of the hard work of campaign groups (some who met here!) who have raised awareness and litigated on this very issue and as a result there are likely a fraction of the transwomen in female prisons as there would be otherwise. The fragrant Isla of purple leggings fame, being just one.

The very fact that there are still ANY in woman's prisons means there is still some kind of loop hole or undermining of the law. While that is still the case, women's prisons and the women in them are still at risk.

Exactly. The policy change in England under the last government was in large part due to the lobbying of the brilliant Dr Kate Coleman and her organisation Keep Prisons Single Sex.

Ereshkigalangcleg · Today 08:26

dylexicdementor11 · Today 08:24

You are missing the point, but that’s okay. 😊
I’ll bow out of this thread now, but I’m glad that some people have found the resources useful.

We’re not missing the point 😊 have a great day!

Ereshkigalangcleg · Today 08:30

Ereshkigalangcleg · Today 08:25

Exactly. The policy change in England under the last government was in large part due to the lobbying of the brilliant Dr Kate Coleman and her organisation Keep Prisons Single Sex.

And obviously there’s just last month been the FWS win over the Scottish government, forcing them to move male prisoners out of women’s prisons.

Lovelyview · Today 08:31

dylexicdementor11 · Today 08:24

You are missing the point, but that’s okay. 😊
I’ll bow out of this thread now, but I’m glad that some people have found the resources useful.

I think you're missing the point but we'll agree to disagree. Thanks for all the useful links and do come back to share those petitions/campaigns to improve things for women in prison. I think we all agree it's important that some very vulnerable women are supported.

Ereshkigalangcleg · Today 08:32

Lovelyview · Today 08:31

I think you're missing the point but we'll agree to disagree. Thanks for all the useful links and do come back to share those petitions/campaigns to improve things for women in prison. I think we all agree it's important that some very vulnerable women are supported.

Absolutely.

Lexibletheflexible · Today 08:32

Ereshkigalangcleg · Today 08:26

We’re not missing the point 😊 have a great day!

Yes you are :-) if you care about a group of people, you care about what they care about.you help them with the things they need help with.

Trans women in women's prisons just isnt something female prisoners ever speak about because they have bigger and more pressing issues that present danger to their wellbeing

Ereshkigalangcleg · Today 08:33

I can see perfectly what your priorities are without the benefit of telepathy @Lexibletheflexible given that you seem to spend a lot of time in FWR telling women what to do.