Incarcerated women: Consequences and contributions of victimization and intervention

Abstract

The increasing rate of imprisonment of women in the United States and the over-representation of women victims of violence in the corrections system confirms that there are long-term, often substantially debilitating consequences to women victims of intimate partner violence, sexual violence and youth maltreatment and injury, including incarceration. As part of a study funded by the National Institute of Justice, the authors pursued an exploration of the personal risks, resiliencies and life opportunities that make a difference in the lives of women who have ended up incarcerated. The findings of this study about the prevalence and consequences of youth maltreatment and adult victimization and the mitigating factors, which may have had an impact on the life trajectories of adult incarcerated women will be reviewed. Recommendations will be given for preventive and interventive policy and practice measures that stand to reduce the negative consequences of victimization, particularly those that can prevent incarceration. Keywords: Women prisoners, intimate partner violenceOver the last two decades, research has shed some light on the common and tragic histories of abuse reported by incarcerated women. These women frequently tell of histories of physical and/or sexual victimization and, when compared to incarcerated men, they are more than three times as likely to report having experienced physical or sexual abuse prior to their incarcerations (ACA

Examining the Traumatic Effects of Sexual Victimization on the Health of Incarcerated Women

“…Despite research findings that have pointed out the health disparities among women who have been sexually abused, few correctional facilities offer the specific treatment programs necessary to improve the lives of the women who will most likely rejoin society (Freudenberg, 2002;Maeve, 2000;Severson et al, 2005). The fact that research has consistently identified a large number of women suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder and other depressive symptoms necessitates that actions be taken to identify treatment options that can best be introduced in prison settings.…”

“…This significant growth in the women's prison population has resulted in a renewed interest in exploring a variety of topics, such as tracing their pathways to prison, identifying special mental and physical health needs, and addressing policy and programming issues on behalf of those responsible for managing this forgotten prison population (DeHart, 2008;Maeve, 2000;Raj et al, 2008). Research has shown that a significant number of women come to prison carrying tragic histories of sexual and physical abuse (Lynch, DeHart, Belknap, & Green, 2013;Messina & Grella, 2006;Severson, Postmus, & Berry, 2005). With limited personal coping skills, many have received inadequate health care, have little family support, and have a history of frequently abusing drugs and alcohol (Aday & Krabill, 2011).…”

Women's Experiences of Violence and Seeking Help

“…The overall goal of the larger study was to examine the consequences (i.e., health, mental health, substance use, incarceration, and suicidality) of IPV, sexual violence, and youth maltreatment and victimization to identify at-risk populations, modifiable risk and protective factors, and optimal times and settings for intervention (Postmus & Severson, 2006). The methods reported here have been reported in other published and unpublished works (Postmus & Severson, 2006;Severson, Berry, & Postmus, 2007;Severson, Postmus, & Berry, 2005). For this article, we specifically focus on women's postvictimization use of interventions, the helpfulness of those interventions, and the service barriers encountered.…”

Psychosocial Determinants of Health among Incarcerated Black Women: A Systematic Literature Review

“…However, there exists a combination of barriers to receiving health care during incarceration related to the facility policies and practices of the health professionals that served the women. 10,17,18,33,42,45 Poor health care services in correctional facilities create a desire for incarcerated women to want to “handle problems on their own” or “allow the problem to get better itself”. 45 Consequently, health care services within the prison should adhere to standards for quality, appropriateness, timeliness, and cost.…”

“…18 Furthermore, a study by Severson and colleagues to examine differences of victimization and utilization of health services by 157 women in a correctional facility (58% Black) and 109 women in the community (39% Black), found that having a “lack of transportation” or a “scheduling conflict” was associated with poor physical and mental health, incarceration, and alcohol and drug problems. 45 The literature revealed that incarcerated women often lack health insurance and consequently use the emergency room for their health care needs or avoid seeking health services due to not having transportation or other barriers.…”