NZ — Christchurch, South Island. A male inmate incarcerated in a women’s facility is under investigation for serious allegations, including complaints that he sexually attacked and bullied female inmates.

The accused perpetrator is one of six biologically male, transgender-identified inmates currently serving time in women’s prisons in New Zealand.

The inmate’s male genitalia is intact, and his birth certificate was previously legally amended to say that he is female. At his request, he was transferred to Christchurch Women’s Prison on November 2, 2017 after serving over four months of his current sentence in a men’s facility.

A former inmate filed several formal complaints with Corrections alleging that the male inmate sexually assaulted her. Prison staff subsequently moved the female accuser to another unit within the facility for her safety.

“There’s some really vulnerable women in there. I think it’s wrong,” the accuser told a reporter at Stuff.

The accuser had been on remand for breaching bail, and has since been released from prison.

Other accusations against the man include claims that he bullies fellow inmates, and uses feminine hygiene products to distribute restricted substances “by swallowing a tampon and attaching the cotton to her tooth, drinking the methadone, which swells up the tampon, and then when she’s returned to the wing she removes the swollen tampon, squeezes it out and sells it to other inmates,” as a complaint puts it.

The man has been placed in isolation while police and prison officials investigate the allegations.

His record includes convictions for violence, robbery and driving infractions.

“Safety is our top priority. The prisoner who is the subject of the allegations currently has no contact with any other prisoners while the investigation takes place,” Prison Director Deborah Alleyne stated.

Similarly, in the United Kingdom, biologically male inmates Karen White and Jessica Winfield were accused of sexually attacking women after they were placed in women’s prisons. A policy instituted by the UK Ministry of Justice in 2017 permitted male prisoners who consistently proclaim a female identity to be enclosed with women. The MOJ recently reviewed and modified this “self-ID” policy after the sexual attacks on incarcerated women led to a public outcry.

Read more on this story Transgender prisoner investigated for sexual assault behind bars

Stuff

A transgender inmate at Christchurch Women’s Prison is being held in isolation while facing several allegations from fellow inmates, including one of sexual assault. Transgender inmate at a women’s prison is put in isolation after claims she sexually assaulted another prisoner

Daily Mail

A transgender woman has been put in isolation while police and corrections investigate allegations she sexually assaulted another prisoner.