Achievements
The Commission on Sex in Prison
- Held nine seminars that triggered key decision makers into considering and reporting on the issues
- Received evidence from over 30 organisations and individuals
- Published four briefing papers
- Published research on the experiences of former prisoners
- Held a national conference attended by over 100 people
- Generated serious and thoughtful national and international media coverage
- Visited prisons in Norway and Spain to investigate how other jurisdictions dealt with sex in prison
- The Chief Executive spoke at the annual meeting of IMBs
- Representatives from the Commission spoke at national conferences including the Royal College of Psychiatrists annual conference, the NHS public health conference and the British Society of Criminology.
Impact
The Prison and Probation Ombudsman published a Learning lessons bulletin on sexual assault in prisons based on the evidence it had given to the Commission on Sex in Prison and is now committed to greater awareness of the issue.
Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons published Expectations: criteria for assessing the treatment of and conditions for women in prison. It specifically addressed the needs of women and recognised the findings of the Commission on Sex in Prison, set out in our briefing on women. The Commission was invited to speak to inspectors at the HMIP staff development day to inform inspectors of the issues.
The Commission raised the issue of consensual sex in prison, the lack of clarity and the disparities regarding the provision of condoms to prevent STIs in prisons. The Independent Monitoring Board report on Buckley Hall, published in November 2014, referred to the mixed messages prisoners received about sex in prison.
MPs publically recognised the issue of sex in prison and expressed support for the need for further research into consensual and coercive sex
In January 2015, the Ministry of Justice published detailed information on sexual assaults in prison custody. The MoJ stated it would be conducting an analysis of sexual assaults in prison custody later this year, due to ‘public interest’ in the area.
Prison healthcare staff who attended the conference planned to encourage the reporting of sexual assaults in prison and promote safe sex.
