- [09:00am 27/08/2015] - For Immediate Use

PRESS RELEASE: No Pride in Prisons

No Pride in Prisons Starts Hunger Strike for Trans Prisoner

The trans and queer advocacy group, No Pride in Prisons, have started a hunger strike, demanding the transfer of an incarcerated trans woman to a women’s facility. Jade Follett is currently being held in the Rimutaka men’s prison, despite requesting more than two months ago to be transferred to a women’s prison.

According to the group, No Pride in Prisons, Jade is in a precarious situation. ‘We’ve received correspondence from Jade saying she requested transfer to a women’s facility in June, and has yet to see any action taken on behalf of the Department of Corrections,’ says spokesperson Jennifer Katherine Shields.

“Rimutaka Prison director Chris Burns says he only received the transfer request last weekend, but in our correspondence with Jade on the 31st of July she told us she put in her request ‘5 to 6 weeks ago’,” Shields says.

‘We are very worried about Jade. Although she’s a strong woman, we know that a men’s prison is not a safe place for a trans woman.’

The group has pointed to a 2007 study[1] which shows that trans women were 13 times more likely than other prisoners to be sexually assaulted in men’s prisons.

‘However,’ Shields says, ‘the reality of the problem for trans people in New Zealand prisons cannot be fully known. Corrections refuses to collect and release adequate information about trans women in prison, despite numerous Official Information Act requests.’

‘We are also calling on Corrections to release information regarding the number of trans prisoners across the country, including what facilities they are being held in.’

‘We gave Corrections until 9:00 this morning to transfer Jade. Because they have failed to do so, we have begun the hunger strike.’

‘Everyone deserves to be treated with dignity. The fact that Corrections hasn’t done anything about this for two months shows their complete lack of respect for trans people.’

‘We are calling on corrections to immediately transfer Jade to a women’s facility for her to serve out the rest of her sentence.’

According to Movement 03.05.04 of the Department of Corrections’ Prison Operations Manual, all this requires is approval from the Corrections CEO, Ray Smith.[2]

‘Ray Smith must give immediate approval for Jade’s transfer.’

Strikers include prominent community figures and advocates, such as Jennifer Katherine Shields, Emilie Rākete, Aaliyah Zionov, Chase Fox and others.

‘We will hold daily vigils on Auckland’s Karangahape Road until Jade has been transferred.’

No Pride in Prisons will be based at the Karangahape Road Overbridge.

‘We will not allow corrections to continue its transphobic disregard of Jade’s safety.’

No Pride in Prisons says they have received support from groups from around Aotearoa. This includes groups from Wellington, Palmerston North, Dunedin, and Christchurch who are planning parallel actions in support of Jade in their towns and cities.

No Pride in Prisons is welcoming signatures of support from organisations across the country. Supporters thus far include Fightback Aotearoa,Reclaim UoA, and Campus Feminist Collective. The group is urging more organisations to sign and support Jade.

ENDS

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