A U.S. Department of Justice study that was done in 2008, and whose results were just released this month, reveals that 9.6 percent of inmates surveyed reported experiencing sexual abuse during their current incarceration. Sexual Victimization Reported by Former State Prisoners 2008
In 2008, the U.S. Department of Justice undertook a study to determine the prevalence of sexual abuse against prisoners. The results of that study were published this month in a report Sexual Victimization Reported by Former State Prisoners 2008. Of the inmates surveyed, 9.6 per cent reported being sexually abused during their last period of incarceration in a jail, prison, or reentry facility.
Highlights of the report, which can be read in its entirety by clicking on the link at the end of this article, include:
About 5.4% of former state prisoners reported an incident that involved another inmate. An estimated 3.7% of former prisoners said they were forced or pressured to have nonconsensual sex with another inmate, including manual stimulation and oral, anal, or vaginal penetration
About 5.3% of former state prisoners reported an incident that involved facility staff. An estimated 1.2% of former prisoners reported that they unwillingly had sex or sexual contact with facility staff, and 4.6% reported that they “willingly” had sex or sexual contact with staff
Approximately 16% of victims of unwilling sexual activity with staff, compared to 2% of victims of “willing” sexual activity, reported being physically injured by staff
The rate of inmate-on-inmate sexual victimization was at least 3 times higher for females (13.7%) than males (4.2%)
The rate of “willing” sexual activity with staff was higher among males (4.8%) than females (2.6%), and the rate of unwilling sexual activity was higher among females (2.5%) than males (1.1%)
Among heterosexual males, an estimated 3.5% reported being sexually victimized by another inmate. In comparison, among males who were bisexual, 34% reported being sexually victimized by another inmate. Among males who were homosexual or gay, 39% reported being victimized by another inmate
Female heterosexual inmates reported lower rates of inmate-on-inmate victimization (13%) and staff sexual misconduct (4%) than female bisexual inmates (18% and 8%, respectively)
Among female homosexual or lesbian inmates, the rate of inmate-on-inmate sexual victimization was similar to that for female heterosexual inmates (13%), while the rate of staff sexual victimization was at least double (8%) that for female heterosexual inmates (4%)
The rate of inmate-on-inmate sexual victimization for males was higher among non-Hispanic white inmates (5.9%) and inmates of two or more races (9.5%) than non-Hispanic black inmates (2.9%)
The rate of staff sexual misconduct was higher for male inmates ages 20 to 24 (7.9%) than for male inmates ages 25 to 34 (5.2%), ages 35 to 44 (3.5%), and age 45 or older (2.0%)
Among female former state prisoners, rates of staff sexual misconduct were lower for those ages 35 to 44 (3.1%) and age 45 or older (1.6%), compared to those ages 20 to 24 (6.7%)
Following their release from prison, 72% of victims of inmate-on-inmate sexual victimization indicated they felt shame or humiliation, and 56% said they felt guilt
The majority of victims of staff sexual misconduct involving unwilling activity said they felt shame or humiliation (79%) and guilt (72%) following their release from prison. More than half (54%) reported having difficulty feeling close to friends or family members as a result of the sexual victimization
Among former inmates who had been tested for HIV (90%), those who had been sexually victimized by other inmates or by staff had significantly higher percentages for HIV positive (6.5% and 4.6%, respectively) than those who had not been victimized (2.6%
Among former inmates under parole supervision, victims and non-victims did not differ in their current employment (64% employed) or housing arrangements (92% in house, apartment, trailer, or mobile home); however, victims (18%) were somewhat more likely than non-victims (14%) to be living alone
An estimated 46% of inmate-on-inmate victims had been victimized by more than one perpetrator
Two-thirds of victims of inmate-on-inmate sexual victimization said they reported at least one incident to facility staff or someone else
22% of unwilling victims of sexual activity with staff, compared to 3% of “willing” victims, said they had reported an incident to facility staff or someone else
Almost one in five boys under the age of 18 (18.6 percent) held in adult facilities were sexually abused by staff
37% of victims who reported being victimized by other inmates said facility staff did not respond
Among victims who reported inmate-on-inmate sexual victimization to authorities 34% were moved to administrative segregation or protective housing, 24% were confined to their cell, 14% were assigned a higher level of custody, and 11% were placed in a medical unit or hospital
86% of the victims who reported staff sexual misconduct to authorities said the facility responded: more than half (54%) of the victims spoke to an investigator, and nearly half (46%) said that they were “written up” for the incident. More than 40% said they were moved to administrative segregation or protective housing
Lovisa Stannow, Executive Directorof Just Detention International, a health and human rights organization devoted to ending sexual abuse in all types of detention facilities, commented on the retaliation victims who report sexual abuse must endure, stating, “With such blatant retaliation for reporting abuse, it’s no wonder the vast majority of prisoner rape survivors choose to remain silent. The failure of many corrections officials to treat sexual abuse within their facilities as a serious crime — and the cynicism of punishing those who report having been abused — is simply stunning.”
Organizations working to end sexual victimization in the criminal justice system hope that the report will spur action on federal, state and local levels to, if not eliminate, than drastically reduce the number of inmates who suffer sexual abuse, “at the hands of other inmates or staff members.
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