Posted February 07, 2018 11:58:10 A young mother in Australia’s Queensland prison industrial complex is being forced into a cage because her mother’s husband is not available to take her home.
Lisa Kwan is now one of more than 3,000 women in the Queensland prison system to be housed in a small, filthy room for up to 18 hours a day, while their male partners are released from jail, sometimes to spend time with their children.
Prisoners in the prison industrial estate, including Lisa, have to stay in the same room with their male counterparts and are not allowed to leave their cell doors open.
They have to shower every day, and the conditions are not conducive to good health and wellbeing, Ms Kwan said.
“I’ve been working as a cook for 18 months and I can’t even think about going home,” she said.
Ms Kwon, a former nurse, is one of thousands of women forced to endure what is known as the “mother-in-law” scenario, which involves women living with their husbands, who are often the main breadwinners in their families.
Lisa’s mother, who is currently in prison for murder, is also in a room at the industrial estate.
“She’s very busy with work, and I’m going to be working a lot, too,” Ms Kwong said.
“So, we’re going to have to share a room, and then, after I’ve finished work, I can come back to her and we can talk about the day.”
The prison industrial site has seen an explosion in the use of cages in recent years.
It has seen women incarcerated in the complex for longer than a year, and many have experienced sexual assault, physical violence and mental illness.
While the Queensland government said it did not allow the use, the use and abuse of female prisoners in the industrial complex had increased over the past five years.
The state government is also pushing through legislation that would allow for female prison staff to be charged with sexual assault.
But the state government has faced opposition from the Labor Party and the Catholic Church, and is considering legislation that could make it illegal for the state’s female prison officers to have sexual contact with female prisoners.
The prison system has also seen a spike in sexual violence against women, particularly in recent months, with one woman dying in custody from the strain of being confined in a cell for more than a week.
The State Government is considering new legislation that might allow female prison guards to have sex with inmates.
Ms Lai said the government had not yet received her report about the “father-in‑law” incident, but that she was concerned about the lack of adequate mental health care for female prisoners and the risk of abuse.
“If I get my own report and if it’s positive, I’ll send it to the ministry,” Ms Laidler said.
She said it would be inappropriate for the ministry to intervene.
“We’ve got so many women here that are sick, we’ve got some of the worst conditions in the state,” she added.
The Queensland Department of Correctional Services said it was “aware of the issues raised in this matter and is working with the prison industry and the Department of Family and Community Services” to address the concerns raised. “
There are so many things going on in there that need to be addressed.”
The Queensland Department of Correctional Services said it was “aware of the issues raised in this matter and is working with the prison industry and the Department of Family and Community Services” to address the concerns raised.
Department of Corrections and Supervision Queensland’s chief executive, John Kelly, said the department was in contact with the Queensland Department for Children and Family Services (DFCS), which was also investigating the incident.
In a statement, DFCS said it had been in contact “with the Queensland Prison Industry Association (QPI), the Queensland State Prison Authority (QSPA), the State Government, and other stakeholders to discuss the matter.”
“QPI is currently working with QPI and other relevant stakeholders to address these issues, including with the QPI’s legal team,” the statement read.
It said the “QPI’s current approach to compliance is to ensure any potential issues with prisoners are addressed prior to any formal action being taken against any prisoner involved in any alleged misconduct.”
Queensland’s Department of Corrective Services and Correctional Services also issued a statement saying it was in “close contact” with the State Police, which was investigating the matter.
The statement also said the DFCNSA had been advised of the incident and would be meeting with Ms Kwang to ensure her rights were respected.
Queenland’s correctional officers union said the woman’s death “shows the danger and injustice of prison life”.
“It is a tragedy for this young woman who has just been released from prison, but also the fact that we cannot control how our female colleagues behave,” the union said.
Mr Kelly said he was confident the Queensland Government