Resistance Behind Bars: The Struggles of Incarcerated Women

Sexual harassment and medical neglect at women's state prison: Two recent reports from women incarcerated at SCI Muncy women's prison describe how on certain units, male prison guards are permitted to come into the bathrooms while the women are using the toilet or showering, and that shower curtains are not tall enough to maintain privacy.The women describe these policies as inappropriate and harmful to their feelings of safety and privacy.One woman reported that male guards have been fired for sexual harassment and escorted off the grounds of the institution, but that policies claim that institutional security trump the needs of individual safety and privacy.

An additional report from an anonymous prisoner describes another woman, Josette Wakely, being brutally beaten by her cellmate on March 3. Surrounding prisoners hit their alert buttons, informing prison guards McElroy and Lorico that Wakely was being beaten and raped.The officers responded by threatening to write up anyone who disturbed them again.It was only after the attacker rang her alert button to inform the officers of what she had done that they attended to the injured woman.Josette Wakely was life-flighted out of the institution and sustained scars and bruises.

Also at Muncy, an anonymous prisoner reported the wrongful death of Tonya Green on April 20, due to medical neglect. The reports that "Green had a history of medical issues and was put in [solitary confinement] after she could not get up from the sidewalk, after they allowed her to stay there for half an hour. They knew this woman was in pain. After she cried out while in [solitary] no one attended her. Later that night she died." A memorial service was held for Tonya Green at the SCI Muncy chapel.