Number of Jail employees are being investigated The sexual harassment or harassment has increased by nearly 400 percent, as a former female prisoner revealed that she was forced to complain about the “scary” male officer.
Total 237 Jail According to the Ministry of Justice received by Channel 4, England and Wales faced allegations of sexual harassment or attack between January 2022 and March 2024. Of these, only 63 were recommended for dismissal.
It has been compared to 49 investigations in a similar period ten years ago.
Beatrice Autie, who was imprisoned for money laundering, is afraid that sexual harassment is “prevalent” inside the jails and calls for a better investigation into wrongdoings.
The 28 -year -old struggled with a male officer who created a “advance” and commented on her appearance when she was being held inside the HMP bronzefield in Britain’s largest woman jail, Surrey.
Despite complaining, he was allowed to continue working on his wing during the investigation, he said.
She accuses the man – who was in his 40s – was “famous” to be Unfair relationship Along with female prisoners in jail, which is run by private contractor Sodexo.
“All you have to do is shake her name and people,” told Ms. Ati Independent. “The officer who approached me to complain, he called him a creep.
“And even when I put a complaint in a complaint it took about four or five months to receive a response, which was not even dated and it has just been dealt with and we are satisfied that we need to do so.”
She said she would notice her with closing the door with another woman spending time inside the cell, saying: “I had not thought about it until she commented about me, saying that he wanted to come to my cell and comment about my appearance.”
He continued: “He started by commenting on the way he saw and advanced.
“It was reaching the point where he was suggesting that he wanted to meet outside.”
She believes that the officer, who had great influence on the progress of punishment, became “hostile” when she did not do mutual.
The day he submitted a formal complaint about his behavior, he was transferred to a separate jail.
Since leaving the bronzefield, she has spoken to other women who claim that they were purchased by the same officer.
Ms. Ati, who is now studying criminal science and is a member of the Advisory Board of the Jail Reform Trust, wants more transparency and says that complaints should be investigated independently.
He alleged that there was a general knowledge among the prisoners that the employees were transferred to only another block. If they had inappropriate relations with their prisoners, it is a “clear abuse of power” because many women prisoners are weak and have experienced sexual abuse from outside.
“If it was a job if you went to HR about harassment, then you will hope that someone will deal with it properly and in jails, but in jails it seems that this behavior is acceptable because they can do what they like because they care about the prisoners,” he said.
“But this is definitely wrong in my mind, the worst in my mind because there are many weak people who do not know that it is wrong.
“You are completely powerless.
Ms. Ati, who was sentenced to 42 months in 2023 for smuggling millions of people from London to Dubai in 2023, is sharing her experience in a new channel 4 documentary UK jails exposed – sex, drugs and corruption: Untold, Streaming from Wednesday 25 June.
The documentary presented by former prisoner David Navaro highlighted an increase in complaints of sexual harassment and misuse through freedom of information request.
It comes after Independent Number of jail officials revealed for last month Unfair relationship The prisoners have been almost three times in five years.
Statistics from Jail in England and Wales Show a jump among the employees investigated for corruption, with those who investigate for relationships with prisoners in 51 to 144 in 2020 last year.
Only 30 prison officer Investigation for unfair relationships in 2024 faced classified restrictions as “management or above results”, including criminal allegations, dismissal, transfer, formal warning or retrograde.
It follows a series of high profile punishment, including former Governor of HMP Kirkam, Kerry Peg, who was jailed for nine years to have a relationship with a male prisoner.
In January, Sundar de Susa Openu Was jailed for 15 months after having sex with a prisoner HMP inside HMP Wandsworth only five months after being admitted to jail service.
A prison service spokesperson said: “While most of the jail staff are honest, we are catching small minorities who break the rules through our counter-corruption unit and do strong veting.” We take all the allegations of harassment or discrimination very seriously, and do not hesitate to take immediate action where the allegations are confirmed. ,
A spokesman for HMP Bronzefield said: “Until we can comment on personal matters, we want to clarify that we are fully committed to ensure a safe and safe environment for both prisoners and employees.
“Complaints from prisoners are taken seriously, are well examined, and where necessary are appropriate action.”
A prison service spokesperson said: “While most prison employees are honest, we are holding more small minorities who break the rules through our counter-corruption unit and strong veting.
“Where the authorities come down from our high standards, we do not hesitate to take strong action.”
