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In 2020, 5,011 women were sent to prison in the UK, representing just 4% of overall prisoner numbers. Most of these women received short sentences for non-violent crimes.
Of 173 women screened at one English women’s prison, 64% reported a history of brain trauma – and for most this was caused by domestic abuse.
Some figures suggest as many as 57% of women in prison will have experienced domestic abuse, because many women fear disclosing domestic abuse, this figure is likely to be an underestimate.
One may think that one of the few benefits of being sent to prison for some women is that they will be able to escape their abuser. In fact, many women prisoners continue to be at risk of coercive control and/or physical danger from those that they cannot avoid on release. Yet, historically, the courts will assume that because a woman is in prison, she is not at risk. This just isn’t the case.
The National Centre for Domestic Violence (NCDV) has devised a partnership with National Legal Service (NLS), to offer residents at any of the 13 prisons in England housing women, a chance to protect themselves using well-established civil law procedures. Court Orders such as Non-Molestation Orders provide a significant degree of practical protection for these women.
Currently, we are working in partnership with 8 of the 13 women’s prisons in England.
NCDV recognise the high vulnerability of so many of these women prisoners. A large proportion of the crimes these women have committed are associated with the domestic abuse they have experienced. These women feel they do not have a voice. They feel unheard. They feel judged.
NCDV and NLS are committed to helping these women protect themselves on their release from prison so that they can break the cycle of abuse, and move forwards with their lives, free from abuse and rehabilitated.
If you would like more information on this partnership work, please contact:
Sharon Bryan
Head of Partnerships & Development of Domestic Abuse Services for NCDV
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