Document Type
Main Theme / Tema Central
Abstract
Canada has had a long history of mistreating incarcerated women in their jails. The carceral system was built to fit around the needs of men, neglecting to consider the various health issues that only women face. For many years. federally imprisoned women were held in one deteriorated prison, the Prison for Women (P4W), and were held in abhorrent conditions and experienced many acts of violence. Despite the opening of five more prisons and funding for various programs for women, incarcerated women continue to experience violence and health crises, leaving imprisoned women extremely vulnerable to mental and physical distress. In particular, there is little access to contraceptives and sexual health care, due to a lack of staffing, mistreatment by correctional guards and long waitlists. It is especially important to consider incarcerated mothers, the distress women face while giving birth in prison, as well as the distress they face when separated from their children. Utilizing research from community organizations and academic sources, this literature review will examine how the federal government is neglecting the sexual and maternal care of incarcerated women in Canada, and how this leads to greater risk in health for both incarcerated women and the broader community outside of these spaces.
Recommended Citation
Gouveia Pereira, Kate
(2025)
"Health Care in Women’s Carceral Spaces,"
Culture, Society, and Praxis: Vol. 17:
No.
1, Article 2.
Available at:
https://digitalcommons.csumb.edu/csp/vol17/iss1/2
Included in
Community Health Commons, Criminology and Criminal Justice Commons, Marriage and Family Therapy and Counseling Commons, Medical Humanities Commons, Psychiatric and Mental Health Commons, Social Justice Commons, Substance Abuse and Addiction Commons