Prison Self-harm · Queer Interventions on Self-Harm in Prison

Queer Interventions on Self-Harm in Prison

“Queer Interventions on Self-Harm in Prison” explores the persistent issues of self-harm, suicide, and self-destruction in prison through a queer theory lens. Unlike dominant medical and psychological approaches—which often individualize and pathologize these experiences—this project advocates for trauma-informed, harm-reduction, and non-pathologizing frameworks grounded in queer theory and critical criminology. A queer perspective allows for a more holistic understanding of self-harm by rejecting binary distinctions between trauma and pleasure, and by centering the intersections of gender, sexuality, race, and marginalization. It positions the body not only as a site of punishment but also as one of resistance, meaning, and potential emancipation. Self-harm and suicide continue to be critical issues across prisons and detention facilities, with far-reaching social and ethical implications. The way these behaviours are understood and managed reflects broader questions about care, punishment, and human dignity. This project speaks to the urgent need for more compassionate, socially grounded, and trauma-informed approaches to mental distress in carceral settings. It also highlights the importance of recognising how intersecting experiences of gender, race, and sexuality shape vulnerability and resistance. During the final period, the project generated both empirical and theoretical insights. Through 18 qualitative interviews and quantitative analysis of the 2023 HMIP Prisoner Survey (n=5,781), the research highlighted the structural and emotional dimensions of self-harm and how institutional responses often intensified distress. The research underscores how experiences of self-harm are shaped by wider structural forces, including gender, race, and systemic punishment. It challenges narrow, pathologizing interpretations and instead offers a more holistic understanding that recognises agency, survival strategies, and the emotional complexity of pain and resistance. The project findings have been shared with a range of stakeholders, including policymakers, practitioners, and grassroots organisations. A policy brief was disseminated to audiences such as the European Prison Observatory and the UK National Forum on Gender and Sexual Diversity Research in Criminal Justice. Following this, UK parole officers invited the fellow to contribute to a professional development workshop exploring more compassionate and trauma-informed responses to self-destructive behaviours in prison settings.

Текст от CORDIS, на английски · Данни: CORDIS, © Европейски съюз