Prison sexuality

"Prison sex" redirects here. For the song by Tool, see Prison Sex.

Prison sexuality (or prison sex or penitentiary sex) consists of sexual relationships between prisoners or between a prisoner and a prison employee or other persons to whom prisoners have access. Since prisons are usually separated by sex, most sexual activity is with a same-sex partner.[1] Exceptions to this include sex with spouses/partners during conjugal visits and sex with a prison employee of the opposite sex.

Prison sexuality is an issue that has been commonly misunderstood and misrepresented due not only to the taboo nature of the subject, but also because of a lack of research.[2] Contrary to popular belief, the most common kind of sexual activity in prisons is consensual sex.[3]

A 2011 study developed a taxonomy for different types of sexual behaviors in women's prison. They include suppression, in which an inmate chooses celibacy (i.e., refrains from sexual activity while in prison, most commonly to stay loyal to a partner who is outside of prison); autoeroticism (i.e., masturbation); true homosexuality (consensual sex between inmates who were already homosexual before entering prison); situational homosexuality (consensual sex between inmates who have homosexual experiences for the first time in prison); and sexual violence (which can be between inmates or between a staff member and an inmate). Sexual violence includes coercion, manipulation, and compliance. Manipulation is performed for power or some kind of reward. Compliance occurs to obtain safety or protection or out of fear.[4]

In general, prisoner-prisoner relationships are same-sex relationships because prisons are generally segregated by sex. An example of an exception to this general rule took place in Canada at the Sainte-Anne-des-Plaines prison. There, two convicted killers of the opposite sex, Karla Homolka and Jean-Paul Gerbet, were able to engage in sexual activity through a chain-link fence, which was the only barrier separating men and women. This prison is Canada's highest security prison in which inmates of either sex may be sent if considered especially dangerous.[5]

  1. ^ Marcum, Catherine D.; Castle, Tammy L., eds. (2014). Sex in Prison: Myths and Realities (Excerpts) (PDF). Boulder, Colorado: Lynne Rienner Publishers. ISBN 978-1-62637-030-2. Retrieved 7 September 2016.
  2. ^ Gibson, Lauren E.; Hensley, Christopher (2013). "The Social Construction of Sexuality in Prison". The Prison Journal. 93 (3): 355–370. doi:10.1177/0032885513490503. S2CID 43006712.
  3. ^ Ristroph, Alice. "Prison, Detention, and Correctional Institutions." Encyclopedia of Sex and Gender. Ed. Fedwa Malti-Douglas. Vol. 3. Detroit: Macmillan Reference USA, 2007. 1196-1199. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 7 October 2016.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference :2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Mandel, Michele (14 January 2008). "Murder victim's sister fears killer will reunite with Karla Homolka". St. Catharines Standard. Archived from the original on 2 October 2016. Retrieved 1 October 2016.