Van Hout Marie-Claire, Crowley Des
Public Health Institute, Faculty of Health, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UK.
School of Medicine, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
Int J Prison Health. 2021 Nov 17;17(4):439-451. doi: 10.1108/IJPH-10-2020-0083. Epub 2021 Mar 24.
The incarceration of transgender people is described as a "double punishment" based on lack of gender recognition and ability to gender affirm, and with their experiences and conditions in prison tantamount to torture. The purpose of this study is to illustrate the continued "double punishment" of incarcerated transgender people (in particular trans-women) and identify and describe breaches in human and gender rights and minimum standards of care.
DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: There is limited global data on the numbers of incarcerated transgender people, an identified vulnerable prison group. There are inherent difficulties for prison authorities regarding placement, security aspects and management of transgender persons. While the concerns apply to all transgender prisoners, the current literature focusses mainly on transgender women and this commentary reflects this present bias. A socio-legal approach describes and evaluates international human rights' conventions and human rights' law, soft law instruments mandating non-discriminatory provisions in the prison setting and relevant European and domestic case law.
Transgender prisoners experience an amplification of trauma underpinned by lack of legal gender recognition, inability to gender-affirm, discrimination, transphobia, gender maltreatment and violence by other prisoners and prison staff. Despite obligations and recommendations in international human rights' instruments and standard operating procedures at the prison level, very few countries are able to fully uphold the human rights of and meet the needs of transgender people in prison.
ORIGINALITY/VALUE: This study is important as it highlights the dearth of knowledge exploring human rights discourses and concerns related to the phenomenon of incarcerated transgender persons. It uniquely focusses on European and domestic law and illustrates the inherent tensions between human rights, sexual orientation and gender identity rights and security considerations regarding transgender issues in prisons. Rights assurances centre on the principles of equality, dignity, freedom of expression, dignified detention and the prohibition of inhumane treatment or punishment.
跨性别者被监禁被描述为一种“双重惩罚”，原因是缺乏性别认同和性别肯定能力，且他们在监狱中的经历和状况等同于酷刑。本研究的目的是说明被监禁的跨性别者（尤其是跨性别女性）持续遭受的“双重惩罚”，并识别和描述侵犯人权和性别权利以及最低护理标准的行为。
设计/方法/途径：全球关于被监禁跨性别者数量的数据有限，跨性别者是一个已确认的易受伤害的监狱群体。监狱当局在跨性别者的安置、安全方面和管理上存在固有困难。虽然这些问题适用于所有跨性别囚犯，但当前的文献主要关注跨性别女性——本评论也反映了这种当前的偏向。一种社会法律方法描述并评估国际人权公约和人权法、要求在监狱环境中实行非歧视性规定的软法律文书以及相关的欧洲和国内判例法。
跨性别囚犯因缺乏合法性别认同、无法进行性别肯定、受到歧视、恐跨症、其他囚犯和监狱工作人员的性别虐待及暴力而经历创伤加剧。尽管国际人权文书和监狱层面的标准操作程序中有相关义务和建议，但很少有国家能够充分维护监狱中跨性别者的人权并满足其需求。
原创性/价值：本研究很重要，因为它凸显了在探索与被监禁跨性别者现象相关的人权话语和问题方面知识的匮乏。它独特地聚焦于欧洲和国内法律，并说明了在人权、性取向和性别认同权利以及监狱中跨性别问题的安全考量之间存在的内在紧张关系。权利保障以平等、尊严、言论自由、有尊严的拘留以及禁止不人道待遇或惩罚等原则为核心。
