Women prisoners ’ sexual victimisation: ongoing vulnerabilities and possible responses

This article explores the incidence and impact of exposure to sexual victimisation for women in the criminal justice system. Key ongoing vulnerabilities in respect of mental health and substance abuse, and their contribution to women ’s offending, are examined. Treatment responses to address these women’s trauma in custodial settings are then discussed. It is argued that a therapeutic approach is required to provide a holistic response to victimised women offenders. Unfortunately, instead of doing so, many prisons’ ethos a nd approaches may actually produce a further layer of vulnerability. The article concludes with commentary on future directions for research and practice. Design/methodology/approach The researchers undertook a desk-based literature review, using search terms such as ‘women’, ‘corrections’ , ‘sexual abuse and/or victimi*ation’ and ‘trauma’. The literature was analysed through a feminist framework, adopting a vulnerability paradigm. Findings The paper analyses the incidence and impact of sexual victimisation on women prisoners and notes that comprehensive trauma-informed care in custodial settings is needed but highly problematic within a prison context. Research limitations/implications The researchers focused primarily on Australia, and the conclusions may therefore be of more limited relevance to imprisoned women in other countries. Practical implications The pa per suggests good practice requirements for delivering trauma...
Source: Journal of Criminological Research, Policy and Practice - Category: Criminology Source Type: research