Female Inmates' Perspectives on Sexual Abuse by Correctional Personnel: An Exploratory Study

• NCJ Number: 195835
• Journal: Women & Criminal Justice Volume: 13 Issue: 2/3 Dated: 2002 Pages: 101-124
• Author(s): Avery J. Calhoun; Heather D. Coleman
• Date Published: 2002
• Length: 24 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This exploratory study examined dimensions of staff-inmate sexual contact in a correctional facility in Hawaii through two focus group interviews with imprisoned women.

Abstract

All participants in the study were in the main women's facility, which, at the time of the study, housed approximately 100 inmates. Inmates participated in the group interviews as a result of recruitment by the primary author, who spent over 40 hours in the women's prison to develop an understanding of the correctional context and to build relationships with potential study participants. All of the women interviewed had been exposed to prison sexual abuse in various ways. Some had just heard rumors of sexual assault, some had witnessed it, and fewer had been victims. There was consensus among participants that "trading" was the most common form of sexual contact between correctional personnel and female inmates. This involved inmates trading sexual contact for privileges that could be supplied by the correctional officer. The correctional officer typically determined what the sexual favor would be. Participants described lust and love as additional reasons for sexual contact between correctional officers and inmates. Pat and strip searches were viewed by participants as a major context for sexual exploitation, because they always involved the potential for inappropriate officer-inmate contact. Focus group participants concurred that, regardless of the circumstances, any sexual contact between inmates and correctional staff was unacceptable. The women's beliefs about factors that contributed to sexual abuse of female inmates included job expectations of and power issues among adult correctional officers, as well as the consequences of reporting abuse. Given the vulnerability of female inmates and the power dynamics that typify the prison context, further research on this problem is warranted. 77 references