Though Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) women make up only 3% of Australia’s female population, they account for over one-third of Australia’s female prison population.
80% of Indigenous female prisoners are mothers. Research released in May based on interviews with 43 Aboriginal mothers across six prisons found that the overwhelming majority of them don’t have access to culturally appropriate care for their physical and mental health.
Cause and Effect
Socioeconomic disadvantage and intergenerational trauma stemming from colonization and Australia’s former child separation policies are largely responsible for the surge in female ATSI incarcerations. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, anxiety disorders, depressive disorders, psychotic disorders, and substance abuse are widespread.
Since many Indigenous mothers turn to illegal substances to cope with their trauma, they are more likely to be repeatedly incarcerated. 80% of incarcerated mothers in New South Wales were imprisoned on drug-related charges.
Mental Stressors
The interviews revealed that long distances between prison and the mothers’ homes made it difficult for families to visit. If the mother doesn’t have the money, she can’t make a phone call. Visits from their children who were taken in by the government are rare. Mothers who were taking effective medication for mental health disorders before being in prison often can’t access the same medication while incarcerated.
Poor Physical Health
Some mothers have sustained serious injuries from domestic violence, such as head pain and memory loss, making it physically difficult for them to access treatment on their own. They also reported higher instances of endometriosis, ovarian cysts, and cervical cancer.
Long-Term Strategies
Improvement to the alarming rates of Indigenous female incarceration is to keep them from entering the system in the first place. Providing culturally appropriate trauma-informed counseling, substance abuse rehabilitation, and long-term housing can be the difference between a life caught in the prison system and a life safe from it.
Adrian Chernyk: Health & Indigenous Australians 