Female inmates 'verbally abused'

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Girls and women prisoners are being verbally abused while transported in vans along with male prisoners, the Human Rights Commission has said.

It said it was disturbing that females were still put in vans alongside males while going to and from court.

The revelation comes in a report into conditions for women in Hydebank Wood Prison in Belfast.

The commission said women with severe mental health problems were ending up in prison.

However, such people needed to be cared for in a therapeutic environment "supported by healthcare professionals".

Professor Monica McWilliams, Chief Commissioner, said: "Too many women are being imprisoned inappropriately, for example for failing to pay fines.

"This is damaging to women and their families and creates unnecessary problems for prison managers."

The report said women prisoners were subjected to long periods of lock-up, had difficulties in maintaining contact with their families - especially children - and have few opportunities for work and education.

"Locking women in isolation for long periods is particularly damaging for the vulnerable, the depressed or the self-harming," it said.

Monica McWilliams: "Too many women are imprisoned inappropriately"

One of the authors, Dr Linda Moore, said transporting male and female prisoners together "goes completely against human rights standards".

"We are also concerned about the routine strip searching of women entering the prison," she said.

Max Murray of the Prison Service said that since the research was carried out, the female prisoners "had moved to fully re-furbished modern accommodation, which is among the best in the prison estate".

"Plans are also well advanced to extend the healthcare centre to provide a dedicated facility for females and to build a new female reception area," he said.