VICTORY! Colorado Prisons Stop Degrading "Labia Lift" Searches

by Alex DiBranco · 2010-09-28 13:12:00 UTC
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In Colorado prisons, female inmates will no longer have to pull back their labia or the skin of their clitoris with a guard's face inches away.

The American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of Colorado charged the Colorado Department of Corrections with strip search policies that were not only far more invasive than those of other states, but also could be challenged on constitutional grounds. After hearing of this degrading "labia lift" strip search policy, hundreds of Change.org members took action demanding an end to the practice.

These humiliating and unnecessary searches were carried out even when there was no reason to suspect that the inmate was attempting to smuggle contraband. Furthermore, while for any women this kind of search can be extremely dehumanizing and borders on sexual assault, it could be especially traumatic for the as many as 80% of female prisoners who are rape and sexual abuse survivors. Some inmates stopped seeing family or friends, because a visit would require this strip search, which further cut them off from society and undermined the prison's stated goal of rehabilitation.

Now, the ACLU reports that the Denver Women's Correctional Facility has changed their policy to prohibit such extreme body cavity searches. This puts their strip search policy back in the realm of reasonableness and on par with those of other states. Women can resume visitation with friends and family without being frightened into isolation by the threat of a traumatic vaginal search. Rape and sexual abuse survivors won't have to worry about setting off PTSD-related symptoms. And the prison will still be as safe and secure as any other prison in the country.

Photo credit: bfick

Alex DiBranco is a Change.org Editor who has worked for the Nation, Political Research Associates, and the Center for American Progress. She is now based in New York City.
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