Self harm in women’s prisons is 8.5 times higher than in men’s, according to a report from HM Inspectorate of Prisons released today.
The report blames poor basic needs care, insufficient contact with loved ones, and long periods of time stuck in cells.
Campbell Robb, CEO of criminal justice charity NACRO, said: “The report lays bare how the struggles women in prison face are amplified by the chronic isolation they experience alongside a lack of basic support.
“Left feeling hopeless and with nowhere left to turn, many women in prison are driven to self-harm as a way to cope.”
The report found that a third of women prisons received no face-to-face visits at all, despite 94% of those surveyed saying keeping in touch with family and friends was an important form of support for them.
Inspectors also saw officers overusing physical punishment without sufficient compassion.
Women in distress were seen stripped against their will to make them wear anti-rip clothing without appropriate care.
Chief Inspector of Prisons Charlie Taylor said: “Disappointingly, this report highlights a lack of basic care to help women cope day-by-day which, for some, is a then cause of self-harm.”
There were more than 3,600 women in prisons in England and Wales in late 2024.
The Ministry of Justice projects this number will rise to 4,200 by November 2027.
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