(Untitled)

[zanovar]

It seems I only ever update this thing when I'm unhappy. But as it turns out I've come across a statistic that worries me a lot. It turns out that in America more men are raped in prison every year than non incarcerated women are raped. Approximately 20% of prisoners male and female are raped in US prisons. Of those raped 75% of men and 60% of the

Comments

[lizziesilver]

That may be due to a decline in the incidence of rape outside prison, which is a good thing, although of course a decline in the incidence of rape inside prison would also be good.

The risk inside prison is disgustingly high. But the absolute number of rapes in prison is high in part because the large number of people incarcerated in the USA (0.76% of the population). Even if prison conditions remained dire, just reducing the size of the incarcerated population would lower that number. On the other hand, that might increase the number of rapes outside prison.

The incidence of rape outside prison may be very low, but given most people spend most of their lives outside prison, the cumulative lifetime risk is still scarily high.

[etimodnar]

women are raping other women??

Coz prisons are sent up to be male or female exclusive. So... women are raped by other women? wtf?

Also, there's a high percentage of gay men outside prison who are also raped. I would suggest (though I have NO evidence) that more gay men are raped than hetrosexual women (percentages).

[countessdeweird]

My first thoughts on reading this made me ashamed of myself. My initial reaction was "well, they're in prison and we aren't so what can we do about it?" - and that's just wrong, man. I disgust myself sometimes. We should be able to do something about it!

A (brief) google search turns up remarkably few organisations dedicated to ending sexual abuse in prisons. The lack of attention this problem gets is just boggling.

[pezzae]

But what can be done about it? I mean, given that the 'solution' for people who rape outside prison is to put them in prison...

[countessdeweird]

Better observation of inmates' behavior, and stronger punishments for offenders- solitary confinement would certainly work :P Better observation of the guards who supposedly make the places safe, but in reality often commit these crimes themselves, particularly in women's prisons.

To achieve these things, Jane or Joe Average might think they can do nothing practical. This isn't the case. Nothing ever will be done unless average people care about it and lobby for changes to be made.

Certainly the solution is not to throw up our hands and say "but what can we do?" and turn our backs on the issue.