Biologically male prisoners who identify as transgender will no longer be housed in women’s jails in the United Kingdom, according to a new policy from Justice Secretary Dominic Raab.
Raab’s new policy will also give the government the power to remove any transgender prisoners from UK prisons and move them to correctional facilities that coincide with their genitals.
A Ministry of Justice spokesman said, “Having reviewed the arrangements in July, the Justice Secretary directed changes so transgender prisoners with male genitalia are not housed with other biologically born women in the female prison estate, unless specifically signed off by a Minister.” Adding, “Once confirmed by the new Government in September, it would be implemented as soon as possible.”
The new policy comes after several high-profile sex scandals involving trans prisoners. Sources close to the Justice Secretary say he adopted the tough stance following an increase in incidents of sexual assaults committed by transgender inmates.
Earlier this year, a transgender inmate serving time for murder at HMP Bronzefield in Surrey was caught assaulting a female inmate, and has been accused of assaulting additional female inmates.
A whistleblower at women’s prison Bronzefield told the Daily Mail that the prisoners with male sex organs make the female prisoners feel ‘uncomfortable and upset’.
“Every time there is a transgender male to female with a male organ brought into the prison, the female prisoners are extremely uncomfortable and upset,” the whistleblower said. “But the women prisoners don’t feel they can complain because they think nothing will be done,” they added.
There were 40 transgender prisoners in women’s prisons in England and Wales last year, almost all were born male.
According to officials, there have been seven sex attacks on female prisoners by transgender inmates in recent years.
The new policy would allow the government to order the removal of transgender prisoners from jails. Ministers will have to sign off any move to a women’s prison of a male-bodied inmate who self-identifies as a woman.
