WORTH Pushes to Stop the Shackling of New Mothers

Blog | Posted by Tina Reynolds | July 14, 2009

With the support of a North Star Fund Rapid Response Grant, WORTH (Women on the Rise Telling HERStory) and the Correctional Association organized a rally in front of Governor Paterson's Manhattan office to pressure the Governor to turn the Anti-Shackling Bill (S.1290-A/A.3373-A) into law.

This legislation will prevent the use of restraints for incarcerated pregnant women during labor, childbirth and during transport to and from the prison and the hospital. Over 100 people attended the July 9th rally including Assemblyman Nick Perry. Speakers included Attorney Dori Lewis from the Prisoners' Rights Project at Legal Aid Society and three formerly incarcerated women who experienced shackling during childbirth. Check out this July 10th New York Times article about the rally.

WORTH's anti-shackling rally outside Governor Paterson's office.

On May 20, 2009 the Anti-Shackling Bill passed unanimously in the Senate, which followed passage in the Assembly with an overwhelming majority. Governor Paterson's office is now reviewing the bill. WORTH and the Correctional Association, along with the NYCLU, the Anti-Shackling Coalition, the New York City Legal Aid Society and many other organizations have challenged this dehumanizing practice within the Department of Correctional Services for years.

WORTH is an association of currently and formerly incarcerated women. Through mentoring and mutual support, leadership and telling our stories, WORTH transforms the lives of women affected by incarceration and changes public perception and policy. WORTH staff interviewed several women who have been shackled and discovered that the treatment they experienced was the result of a lack of a uniform approach to offering safety and dignity to pregnant women and their unborn children.

Venita, one woman we interviewed, went into labor on November 10, 2008 while at Bedford Hills Correctional Facility. With her contractions 15 minutes apart, Venita was taken to the hospital in waist restraints, ankle shackles and handcuffs. A black box was placed over her hands to further restrict movement. Venita was in intense pain by the time she arrived at the hospital. She requested to have the restraints removed, but her request was denied by her escorting correctional officer who explained that he was just following procedure. The shackles were only removed while Venita delivered her son by C-section.

Shortly after giving birth, Venita was re-cuffed and her ankle shackles were re-applied. She remained in restrains while visiting her son in the neo-natal intensive care unit. During the ride back to prison, chains were placed around Venita's waist, shackles around her ankles and cuffs, and a black box around both hands. Venita's son was placed in a car-seat. Throughout the ride, Venita worried that she would not be able to keep her baby safe if something happened.

WORTH members at an anti-shackling rally outside Governor Paterson's office.

Take action to help us stop shackling of new mothers

Our recent rally gave women like Venita who experienced shackling the opportunity to share their stories. While the rally was a great success, there is still a lot of work to do in order to put an end to shackling.

Please support our efforts to turn the Anti-Shackling legislation into law by calling Governor Paterson at 518-474-8390 and tell him to sign the bill. You can also email me to sign onto a petition letter for the Governor or to find out more information about WORTH's Anti-Shackling Campaign.

Tina Reynolds, the Co-Founder and Chair of WORTH, was shackled during labor and the birth of her son fifteen years ago. WORTH has been a North Star Fund grantee since 2008.