Navigating Trauma Behind Bars on International Women's Day
With 8th March being International Women’s Day, this blog post focuses somewhat on women in prison. In Scotland, 96% of the prison population are male. Only 4% are women. Why is this? There certainly isn’t one single answer but it’s an interesting question!
Recently there has been media attention on the subject of transgender prisoners and which prison someone who is transgender should be sent to. Much could be said about that too, but high on the agenda must be the safety of women; there is a reason separate prisons for women were created.
In recent years, the SPS has taken very seriously the issue of trauma, and in particular trauma amongst female prisoners. Staff who work with women have been trained to take a “trauma-informed” approach because it’s recognised that many women in prison have been victims of abuse. Statistics for mental health and addiction issues amongst female prisoners are frightening. Incidences of self-harm are distressingly common. Women get, on average, far fewer visits from partners than male prisoners do. And of course, female prisoners may be incarcerated whilst pregnant and have their babies whilst in prison. If their sentences are long enough, the child may then be taken from them and placed in foster care.
I write as a female chaplain who has worked with both male and female prisoners. I often think – as a total generalisation, with many exceptions – that female prisoners are often more obviously “broken” and hurting. Frequently in a male prison there is lots of bravado and banter. However, this probably doesn’t reflect the honest truth. Trauma isn’t something exclusive to the world of female prisoners. A “trauma-informed” approach is something for us all to adopt with all prisoners, and indeed with staff and people in our daily lives outside.
Since I first had the thought that a trauma-informed approach could be taken with male as well as female prisoners, I’ve reacted a bit differently sometimes with men who’ve said, “Fine” in answer to the question, “How are you?” I’ve tried looking right into their eyes and saying, “You’re not really fine, are you?” They obviously think I have some power to see into their souls. I don’t, of course. I’m just fishing. But NOT ONCE have they said, “Yes, I really am fine” because, of course, they’re not fine… The whole story then comes tumbling out.
When God deals with us, He can see right into our hearts. There’s no point in us telling Him we’re fine when we’re not fine. Isn’t that great? When I was a child there was a hymn we often sang at church which gave me a chill: “God is always near me….. not a look nor word nor thought, but God knows it all.” It doesn’t alarm me any longer. It comforts me to know that God knows all about me and loves me. May He use us to help all prisoners – male and female – to know that God knows all about them and loves them.