Lawsuit Details Maltreatment of Pregnant Women in Prison

Under-reported in discourse addressing prison conditions and human rights violations is the particularly harsh treatment of women prisoners.  The dis-empowerment that comes with gender oppression brings with it even more abusive conditions for pregnant women who have even less control over their lives than other prisoners.  

A class action lawsuit filed in Almeda County, California addresses the horrific conditions suffered by incarcerated women  the Santa Rita prison.  The lawsuit details the horrific conditions, particularly for pregnant women.  The lawsuit details pregnant women being denied blankets, healthy nutrition, and fresh air.  Pregnant women are denied medical care and encouraged to have abortions.  

A press release describing the suit states the "The women seek injunctive relief under the U.S. and state constitutions and demand an end to inhumane and sexually biased treatment at Santa Rita. Plaintiffs charge they are subject to more restrictions and harsher treatment than male prisoners, including being held in holding cells for longer periods of time, being denied equal access to jobs outside the cell, limited on classes and education, and subjected to more frequent strip searches and body cavity searches."  One woman delivered her child alone with the baby's umbilical cord around the child's neck.  The woman screams were not only ignored, a prison employee shut a door to muffle the sounds. Other inhumane treatment is described in the complaint.