According to the Sentencing Project’s report on incarcerated women the United States has the highest incarceration rate of women in the world, with over 205,000 women currently behind bars in either state and federal prisons or jails and another million on probation or parole. 1 in 25 women in state prisons and 1 in 33 in federal prisons are pregnant when admitted to prison. Women can be shackled during labor and delivery in many states. Despite a shadow report to the United Nations Committee Against Torture in 2014 and criticism of the U.S. for violating the Convention Against Torture by shackling women during childbirth over half of the states in the country lack laws against this practice. Additionally, the majority of children born to incarcerated mothers are immediately separated from their mothers. This is horrifying and a grave injustice. This graphic is intended as an educational tool to help shed light on these practices. Please let me know if you are part of an organization that would like to use this for your work. #noshackles #noseperation##familyreunification #keepfamiliestogether#freeemall
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A three panel image: in the first panel the image of a woman’s large pregnant belly and we see cuffs have been chained to her wrist. In the second, a female officer carries away a newborn baby. A handcuffed hand reaches out after them. Text above states: “Giving birth in chains in inhumane!” In the center, text states: “The majority of babies born to incarcerated women are immediately separated from their mothers.” The final panel shows a brown-skinned woman holding up her baby as they smile into each other’s faces. Text below states: “No shackles. No separation. Family reunification now!”
