Strip-searches have been described as “degrading and humiliating” by advocates who are calling for their ban in Australian prisons. This call is supported by a new report from the Human Rights Law Centre (HRLC), which highlights the distressing impact of these searches on inmates, many of whom have histories of trauma and abuse.
Sara, a former inmate of a Melbourne women’s prison, recounted her experiences to Guardian Australia. As a survivor of sexual abuse, she found the routine strip-searches deeply distressing. “It was very degrading and humiliating. I felt like I was being violated and exploited,” she said, choosing to withhold her full name for privacy reasons.
Strip-Searches: A Routine Practice
The HRLC report reveals that an average of 15,154 strip-searches are conducted in Australian prisons each month, with a mere 0.58% resulting in the discovery of contraband. In youth detention centers, the detection rate is slightly higher at 4.32%, based on an average of 317 searches per month.
This data was obtained through freedom of information laws from six Australian jurisdictions, covering various periods in 2021 and 2022. The report, released on Tuesday, forms the basis of a campaign led by Formerly Incarcerated Girls Justice Advocates Melbourne (Figjam), a collective advocating for the rights of women, gender diverse, and trans people.
Calls for Modern Alternatives
Sohini Mehta, a senior lawyer at the HRLC, argues that strip-searches should be replaced with less invasive methods such as full body scanning technology. “It’s just entirely unnecessary,” Mehta said. “We have the modern technology, we have body scanners similar to those used at airports and public buildings.”
Despite the availability of such technology, the report notes that strip-searches continue to be a common practice, often for “routine reasons” without resulting in the discovery of contraband. Many inmates perceive these searches as acts of sexual assault and coercive control.
The Impact on Vulnerable Populations
Stacey, a Figjam member and contributor to the report, shared her perspective as a survivor of child sexual abuse. “Being strip-searched by guards is an abuse of power that is deeply harmful and re-traumatizing,” she said. “Strip searching isn’t something you ever get used to; it takes you back to all these past abuses.”
The report describes strip-searches as “a gendered tactic of state violence” that disproportionately affects women in prison, particularly those who have experienced sexual and family violence. It also highlights that First Nations women and children are subjected to these searches at higher rates than the general prison population.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women were reportedly subjected to nearly half of all strip-searches of women in the ACT in 2024, while in a seven-month period in Queensland in 2020-2021, more than half of the 700 strip-searches conducted at the state’s three youth prisons were of First Nations children.
Implications and Future Directions
The report’s findings underscore the need for systemic change within the Australian prison system. “It’s clear from the data and also other evidence that strip-searching has a disproportionate impact on people who are over-represented in the criminal legal system because of factors like systemic racism and discrimination,” Mehta stated.
Advocates are hopeful that the report will prompt policymakers to consider alternatives that prioritize the dignity and well-being of inmates. The push for reform is gaining momentum, with Figjam and other advocacy groups continuing to campaign for the adoption of modern, less invasive security measures.
As the debate continues, the focus remains on balancing security needs with the humane treatment of individuals within the prison system. The call for change is not only a plea for the dignity of those incarcerated but also a challenge to the broader society to reconsider the ethics and efficacy of current practices.
