Out of sight should not mean out of heart and mind. But the tragedy for women in prison is that it often does. The women now in prison are often there because of circumstances that might have put you or me there, too.
Over half—58 percent—of women in prison are mothers, and 80 percent of women in jails are mothers.
About 5 percent are pregnant and give birth in prison.
And in 23 states, women give birth in chains because we have not yet succeeded in even passing anti-shackling laws.
Most women in prison are not a danger to society. More than 60 percent have been convicted of non-violent offenses. Often, they are suffering unfairly harsh consequences even for nonviolent crimes, like possessing or selling illegal drugs. And many of the women convicted of so-called murder have actually killed a violent partner in self-defense, yet not been allowed to plead self-defense—a real motive that would have been allowed in a non-“domestic” setting.
This is part of the reason women and girls are the fastest growing incarcerated population in the United States today. Over the course of the past four decades, women’s prison populations have grown more than 525 percent—twice the rate of men’s incarceration. And the incarceration rates for Black women are almost twice that of their white counterparts.
Once in prison, women also suffer significantly higher rates of sexual victimization and violence by the staff who are supposed to protect them. Prisoners’ mental and physical health often deteriorates, and their most basic hygiene and reproductive needs—even access to tampons or pads—are frequently ignored. Women in prison often spend 17 hours a day isolated in their cells, with no reading material except the Bible, or with only books and magazines they must share with hundreds of other women. And reading bans inside prisons are growing at a more concerning rate than those in public schools and libraries, according to a report by PEN America.
We at Ms. magazine want women in prison to know they are seen and valued.
And because domestic violence shelters can be almost as isolating as prisons—and often lack reading material, just as many prisons do—we want to include women in those shelters in this program too.
That’s why we started the Ms. magazine Prison and Domestic Violence Shelter Program. It is funded by charitable contributions earmarked for this purpose, and also by Ms. community members who buy an extra membership and subscription for a friend they don’t know.
We send Ms. to 5,547 federal, state and county prisoners, and hundreds of shelters across the country. That’s a fraction of the total, but it’s a number we’re very proud of and hope to keep growing. Over the 19 years since this program’s birth, we’ve discovered that even this small gesture of recognition, support and information means a lot.
Here’s what Christy Phillips wrote to us from prison in Chowchilla, Calif., after Ms. published a piece on the sexual-abuse-to-prison pipeline:
“I came across an article in your magazine called ‘Shameful System.’ … It felt like I was reading my story and I feel a deep sadness in my heart that this continues to happen to girls. … I was physically and sexually abused throughout my childhood. Although CPS (Child Protective Services) and the police [were] notified by neighbors and school authorities, nothing was ever done. I was arrested for the crime I am currently incarcerated for and tried directly in adult court three months after my 15th birthday. … It’s hard and I often feel helpless, but people like you inspire me to stay strong. Thank you for giving women and girls a voice, even those of us in prison.”
It’s stories like Christy’s that inspire us to build this program bigger, to reach even more women—and to reflect their reality in our pages.
Our program also lets survivors of domestic violence in shelters know it’s unfair for them to be deprived of home while their abuser is free. We must all work together against notions of “masculinity” and “femininity” that have turned the home into the single most dangerous place for women and children in this country.
When you send a friend you don’t know a copy of Ms., it will have her name on it, and be something she knows will keep coming—hundreds of pages of words and images that link her to the world of women. Let her know you care by sending her companionship in every issue of Ms.
Please make a tax-deductible contribution to the Ms. Prison and Domestic Violence Shelter Program. On the outside, the women’s movement brings us support, facts, creativity, humor and a sense of community.
A generous donor has pledged a challenge grant of $10,000 if we can raise $20,000 for the Ms. Prison and Domestic Violence Shelter Program.
We are the lucky ones. Pass some luck on.
At Ms. magazine, our mission is to deliver facts about the feminist movement (and those who stand in its way) and foster informed discussions—not to tell you who to vote for or what to think. We believe in empowering our readers to form their own opinions based on reliable reporting. To continue providing you with independent feminist journalism, we rely on the generous support of our readers. Please consider making a tax-deductible donation today if you value the work we do and want to see it continue. Thank you for supporting women’s voices and rights.
