Prison sex in Ukraine

What is it about?

This article explores how prisoners and officers perceive prisoner sex. Rape was not reported in this prison, despite the relatively young prison population. I argue that the informal prisoner power structure of the prison underworld diminishes sexual abuse. Thus, contrary to much of the literature, masculinity, homophobia, and informal prisoner hierarchies can equally instigate and restrain prison violence and sexual victimisation.

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Why is it important?

Whereas most research on prison sex has originated in the global West, often employing quantitative methodology, this article builds on a semi-ethnographic study of a Ukrainian prison.