WOMEN prisoners are involved in almost a quarter of all sexual incidents in Scotland’s jails – despite making up just one in 20 convicts.
Over the past five years, female inmates were involved in 14 alleged sexual assaults on other prisoners, according to figures released by Scottish Prison Service (SPS).
There were four cases where female prisoners had sex with other female inmates, and two occasions where they had sex with staff members.
The 20 incidents involving women since 2011 made up almost a quarter of the 88 recorded in total by the SPS.
The number involving women is surprisingly high, since they account for only 386 prisoners out of a total of 7,995 in Scotland’s jail system – which equates to fewer than 5%.
Among the 68 incidents involving male prisoners, eight involved cases where they were able to have sex with visitors.
There were 26 times when they engaged in ‘Sex – Obscene Act’ with a member of staff.
In the figures, obtained by a Freedom of Information request, the SPS refused to disclose the exact prison where each of the instances took place.
But all women prisoners are either held at Cornton Vale in Stirling – the country’s sole female-only prison – or at HMP Edinburgh.
The data reveals that since 2011, there were 14 instances where female prisoners committed “alleged sexual assault” on other prisoners.
Female inmates also partook in “Sex – Obscene Act” four times with other female prisoners and twice with members of staff.
There were 19 instances of male prisoners committing alleged sexual assault on other male inmates, as well as six instances where the same occurred with staff members.
Men in Scotland’s jails also took part in 26 cases of “Sex – Obscene Act” with staff, five times with other prisoners and eight times with visitors.
There are two recorded instances of male prisoners raping another inmate, and one occasion where they used derogatory language towards a member of staff.
No-one was available for comment from the SPS at the time of publication.
