STAFF at a maximum security women’s prison outside Melbourne are grieving after the discovery of a man’s body.

The male prison officer was found by staff at the 260-bed Dame Phyllis Frost Centre on Tuesday morning. It’s understood he took his own life, but his name and the circumstances surrounding his death have not yet been made public.

Corrections Victoria, which manages the prison at Ravenhall, confirmed the officer’s death in a statement on Tuesday afternoon.

“We extend our deepest condolences to the officer’s family and loved ones,” the short statement said.

A spokeswoman told news.com.au staff were being offered confidential counselling and that a report was being prepared for the coroner.

She said counselling services are available to staff “year round” but “they are reminded and encouraged to use such services following a traumatic event such as this”.

Victorian Corrections Minister Gayle Tierney was approached but did not wish to comment.

Former prison officer and head of the Australian Prison Officers Association, Brian Newman, says it’s a terribly sad day but that “it does happen a few times a year”.

While there’s no suggestion the officer took his life because of work-related stress, Mr Newman said it’s not uncommon.

He said there is “something very unnatural about locking another human in a cage” and that the “things we see do take a toll”.

“It’s a horrible environment to work in and there are not a whole lot of happy days in that job. I was stabbed, I was bashed, I was everything but murdered,” he said.

Mr Newman said the biggest problem in prisons is that staff are part of a culture of “suck it up and move on”. But that’s the worst thing they can do.

“We encourage officers to reach out and talk about it, even anonymously. We’re trying to look after these guys and their families.”

Last month Prison Officers Vocational Branch spokesman Thor Sutherland, who is also a senior corrections officer, told news.com.au about the pressures of the job.

“I know people who have found inmates who have commit suicide ... yeah it can affect those guys,” Mr Sutherland, who works at the Bathurst Correctional Facility, said.

“We have an employee assistance program. There’s all kinds of counselling that is offered and stuff like that, so yeah, our management is really good. In the past we’ve had bosses who haven’t worked on the ground and don’t really understand what we’ve been through.”

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