Prison and sex

This entry explores how sexuality is reorganized within prison and how sexual practices are shaped by the social and institutional context of incarceration. It considers both men’s and women’s prisons, showing how sexual relationships may be linked to desire, affection and intimacy, but also to power, domination and coercion. Particular attention is given to the role of gender norms and prison hierarchies, and to the ways in which sexual roles can affect status and relationships among inmates. The entry also discusses sexual victimization and the vulnerability of some groups within prison settings. Overall, prison sexuality emerges as a complex and changing phenomenon, closely connected to the organization of prison life and to wider gender and power relations.