BRISBANE — “The prison system is racist and sexist, and we need to openly challenge it”, Debbie Kilroy, director of the women prisoners support group Sisters Inside, told a public forum at the New Farm Neighbourhood Centre on September 10. The forum on “Law and order: Who goes to prison and why”, was organised as part of the Ladyfest Forum series.

“Ninety per cent of women prisoners have been sexually abused. Eighty per cent are in there for ‘drug crimes’. Sisters Inside is campaigning against strip searching, which is essentially legalised sexual assault”, Kilroy said. “We need to abolish prisons. We need alternatives to locking people up. Our slogans are: Think outside the bars! Deincarcerate now!”

Other speakers at the forum included Nicki Debreczeni and Heather Anderson, presenters for the 4ZZZ prisoners' program Locked In, and Matilda Alexander, a solicitor with the Prisoners' Legal Service.

Jim McIlroy

From Green Left Weekly, September 21, 2005.
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