Prisons Judicial Review
3rd July 2021
Prisons Judicial Review
Yesterday we had the disappointing news that a judicial review challenging the lawfulness of placing trans prisoners in the female estate had failed. The Ministry of Justice’s current prison policy to house high-risk male prisoners in female prisons was deemed lawful. This case was brought by a brave woman who was sexually assaulted by a trans identified male whilst in prison.
The judgment recognized that there was a lack accurate information on how many male prisoners were housed in the female estate. This lack of information shines a light onto the importance of recording sex not gender. The media, police, courts and prisons are all complicit in erroneously allowing men to be labeled and recorded as women.
Women in prison should have the safety, dignity and privacy of single sex facilities. Some of the most vulnerable women in our society are being let down and put in danger because of these policies. Many people are still unaware of this attack on women’s rights. Make sure to spread this story far and wide. Women are not experiments or human shields for violent men.
Scottish misogyny experience survey
The Working Group on Misogyny and Criminal Justice in Scotland has a survey. “This survey will ask you about your direct experience of misogyny, the impact that experience has had on you, whether or not you reported this incident, and also your opinions on interventions to tackle misogyny.”
Call to Action
Raise as much awareness as you can on what is happening in women’s prisons.
You can follow the work of Keep Prisons Single Sex on Twitter and their website. They have advice for writing to your MP here.
Please share Keep Prisons Single Sex crowdfunder and support if you can.
The misogyny experience survey is available here, it should take 5-10 minutes to complete and closes on the 23 July 2021.