Cis woman sent to male prison because of her ‘masculine features’

A woman was sent to an all-male prison after authorities mistook her features for a man.

The prisoner, assigned female at birth, was treated unfairly by the Scottish Prison Service (SPS). The Independent reported.

The woman was sent to the all-male HMP Perth prison and remained isolated overnight after the mistake was discovered. She was transferred to HMP Cornton Vale, a women’s prison, the following day.

Police Scotland said it was investigating the incident, adding that she was detained with “incomplete information regarding her gender”. The spokesperson added, “We are reviewing our custody procedures to ensure that something like this never happens again.”

A source told the Telegraph newspaper that broke the story: Gender in the prison system has become such a hot topic that administrators will be troubled by it. this is [an] It’s embarrassing for everyone involved. ”

In December last year, SPS changed its policy to prevent trans women with a history of violence from being held in women’s prisons, except in “exceptional circumstances”.

The guidance comes in response to the backlash over the conviction of trans woman Ira Bryson, who was sentenced to eight years in prison in February 2023 for raping two women while still a man.

SPS announced that as of January 2023, there were only 23 transgender prisoners in Scotland, 19 of whom were trans women. A spokesperson said the prison does not comment on “individuals” but that the rights and welfare of all inmates are its top priority.

“We have protocols in place to keep everyone safe during new admissions, including isolating them from the mainstream population if necessary,” they added.