Media Release
Monday December 23rd 2024
FOCUS ON SAFETY OF TASMANIAN LGBTIQA+ PRISONERS WELCOMED
Equality Tasmania has welcomed the state Custodial Inspector’s concern about the safety of LGBTIQA+ people in Tasmanian prisons.
“Members of the LGBTIQA+ community are particularly vulnerable in prison environments. Sadly, following the inspection, we observed evidence of two serious assaults on gay men by other people in custody occurring within the space of a month.”
Equality Tasmania spokesperson, Rodney Croome said,
“We are alarmed by repeated cases of abuse and violence against LGBTIQA+ people in Tasmania’s prisons and welcome the Custodial Inspector’s focus on their safety.”
“More training and better policies are required to ensure LGBTIQA+ prisoners aren’t subject to hate-motivated abuse and violence while serving their sentences.”
“We will continue to raise our concerns through the Department of Justice LGBTIQA+ Reference Group and we will work with the Custodial Inspector on developing expectations for the treatment of LGBTIQA+ prisoners.”
The Department of Justice is developing a Trans and Gender Diverse Prisoner Policy in consultation with its LGBTIQA+ Reference Group.
Mr Croome said, “We welcome the development of a Trans and Gender Diverse Prisoner Policy but the Department of Justice must also develop policies on gay, lesbian and bisexual prisoners and prisoners with innate variations of sex characteristics.”
Tasmanian transgender women, Marjorie Harwood, “suffered physical and sexualised assault and intimidation throughout her time in (Tasmania’s) male prison.”
Tasmanian gay man, Thomas Ingram’s defence lawyer, Emily Hindle, said “his sexual orientation made him a target” while he was in prison. Magistrate Sharon Cur said Ingram’s “sexual orientation would endanger him if he was sent back to prison.”
The Custodial Inspector noted some positive developments in Tasmania's prison system including “evidence that the TPS is modelling positive leadership, with a (gay) couple being able to share a cell and the bullying of a LGBTQIA+ person in custody being proactively addressed.”
For a copy of this statement on the web, click here
For more information contact Rodney Croome on 0409 010 668.
