Violent trans ex-cons admitted to ‘women-only’ rehab scheme 

Scotland’s most ­vulnerable women ex-prisoners are being forced to undergo rehabilitation alongside trans people in a controversial move compared to the Isla Bryson scandal.

Politicians and campaigners are demanding an immediate halt to the practice after revelations that some of the most vulnerable women in the criminal justice system are being further traumatised while being forced to rehabilitate alongside violent trans prisoners at the “women-only” Willow Project.

Willow supports women at all stages of the criminal justice system, including former prisoners returning to Edinburgh and the Lothians, helping them reintegrate back into society.

© Andrew Milligan/PA Wire

The ­service, funded by Edinburgh City Council, provides childcare, as well as offering trauma interventions and mental health support.

But one concerned whistleblower said: “The women using this service are already extremely traumatised, often because of what violent men have done to them in the past.

“While the prison service is being forced to do something about placing violent men identifying as trans women within female jails, it is completely unacceptable fragile women prisoners are being forced alongside them as they battle to rebuild their lives outside.”

Politicians are comparing the move to the Isla Bryson scandal, where double rapist Adam Graham, who became trans while awaiting trial, was placed at Cornton Vale – Scotland’s women’s prison. The controversy added to a list of challenges for former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.

Scottish Conservative Deputy Leader Meghan Gallacher said: “The SNP’s fatally flawed gender self-ID policy, which was railroaded through Parliament, has led to a drastic increase of female-only spaces being compromised.

“The Isla Bryson scandal exposed the dangers of this policy in Scotland’s justice system and is one of many horrific cases in which predatory male-bodied criminals could gain access to what should be women-only prisons. Now it seems possible that prisoner rehabilitation schemes are to face the same fate, with the rights of vulnerable women being eroded to pander to the needs of male-bodied criminals.

“Women who have suffered trauma and abuse from men deserve to have a safe space to rehabilitate following their time in prison and shouldn’t have to fight for the privacy, respect and dignity that a female-only space would give them.”

© Andrew Cawley

Dr Kate Coleman of the Keep Prisons Single Sex campaign said: “This simply should not be happening. Given recent rulings such as the Roz Adams Employment Tribunal win against Edinburgh Rape Crisis Centre over men in women only services, it’s time we held a public inquiry into how this type of institutional capture is happening on an egregious scale to the detriment of safeguarding the most vulnerable.

“We know very well that the majority of trans prisoners are jailed because of violent crimes, and a significant proportion of those are against women and children. And most women prisoners have suffered violence and sexual abuse from men. Why would you force women who have already been traumatised by violence and sexual abuse to undergo rehabilitation alongside men?”

Marion Calder, of campaign group Women First, said: “This is an outrage. This is a service that is supposed to be for women only, extremely vulnerable women at that. Trans prisoners have no place in a women-only service. If Edinburgh City Council is so keen to have a specialist service for trans prisoners, they can spend money on setting one up. Or perhaps some of the trans groups that get ridiculous amounts of public funding despite all kinds of other services being cut, should fund a trans prisoners’ ­service if it is so needed.”

Alba MSP Ash Regan said: “Women in the criminal justice system are some of society’s most vulnerable, and services such as The Willow Project, run by Edinburgh City Council, are essential to supporting those women in core skills to establish a more secure future.

“Same-sex provision is vital to both give assurances to women seeking to safely access such support and ensure that the support for those in the criminal justice system is evidentially appropriate.

“Concerns raised about who has access to this service, given that this project, advertised for women, must be resolved with a clarification on this being a single-sex provision to help assure women who may otherwise be at risk of self-exclusion.”

Edinburgh City Council said: “Willow is a gender-specific and trauma-informed service that responds to the individual needs of women, most of whom have experienced some level of trauma in their lives. We approach each woman’s situation individually and tailor interventions to assessed need and risk.”