Women’s prison safety

sir – We are concerned that the right to single-sex spaces for women in prison is not being upheld.

This week a judicial review was brought by a female prisoner who reported being sexually assaulted by a male-bodied prisoner convicted of sexual offences who was imprisoned with her.

We believe this case confirms the unacceptability of prison policy, which allows male-born prisoners who have a Gender Recognition Certificate stating they are legally women to be housed in women’s prisons.

The Equality Act permits all males( notwithstanding protected characteristic gender reassignment) to be excluded from single-sex spaces for women, where this is a proportionate means to a legitimate aim. We consider women’s prisons to be definitive examples of facilities used by women that should be single-sex.

The vulnerability of female prisoners is well established and evidence demonstrates that female offenders require female-only settings.

We note the statement by Liz Truss, Minister for Women and Equalities, reaffirming the Government’s commitment to the provision of single-sex spaces for women. All vulnerable prisoners have the right to be safe, but the needs of one group cannot come at a cost to the safety and wellbeing of women in prison.

We call upon the Ministry of Justice, HM Prisons and Probation Service, and the Scottish Prisons Service to bring policy in line with the Equality Act. Allison Bailey

Barrister

Lucy Masoud

Barrister

Kama Melly QC

Susan Bennett

Former Principal Psychologist, HM Prison Service

Kate Donegan

Prison Governor (retd)

Rhona Hotchkiss

Prison Governor (retd)

Professor Elaine Player

King’s College London

Professor Kathleen Stock

University of Sussex

Professor Selina Todd

University of Oxford and 14 others, see telegraph.co.uk