Sat 3 Oct 2015 In: New Zealand Daily News View at Wayback View at NDHA
The group No Pride in Prisons says a prisoner who was has made a rape complaint at an Auckland men's prison is a transgender woman. Auckland South Corrections Facility Police and Corrections are investigating claims a prisoner was raped by a cellmate while locked in overnight at privately run men's prison, Auckland South Corrections Facility. Corrections has described the prisoner as “he” in statements to media so far, while other reporting has referred to the inmate as gay. Activist group No Pride In Prisons says it's been in contact with loved ones of the prisoner and confirmed she is a transgender woman being held in a men's facility. “She was taken out of protective segregation on Wednesday and moved back into the general population where she was assaulted by seven men and then raped,” says No Pride In Prisons spokeswoman Emilie Rākete. “The Department of Corrections knows that she is a trans woman, as they are administering her hormone treatment. But she is being kept in a men's facility anyway.” Corrections has a policy that transgender prisoners who have not altered their birth certificates can apply to be placed in the prison matching their gender identity. Rakete says such incidents demonstrate that Corrections policy itself does not sufficiently secure the safety of incarcerated people, especially trans inmates. “She should never have been placed in a men's facility, and should never have been placed back with the general population. She absolutely should never have been locked in a cell overnight with a man following a physical assault.” The prison is contracted to SecureFuture, a consortium, and run by Serco. Rakete says the government cannot deflect blame onto Serco. Corrections has not yet commented on the prisoner's gender identity. It says the prisoner's complaint was immediately referred to police who “are conducting a thorough investigation”. The department says staff acted immediately to support the prisoner when they disclosed what happened, and are monitoring their wellbeing. It's promising its Chief Custodial Officer will carry out a separate review. Corrections says the contract with the group sets out clearly that there is a zero tolerance for anti-social behaviour, including sexual assaults. “All prisoners have the right to be safe in custody.”
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Saturday, 3rd October 2015 - 4:30pm