Does sexual abuse exist in Russian women's prisons? The whole truth about the harsh order in the colonies. Rules, life and hierarchy in a women's prison Conditions in the cells

As employees of women's correctional institutions testify, there are now practically no female thieves, or Baghdadok, as they used to say. But there are authoritative prisoners, mostly multi-walkers. Unlike their “colleagues” - male authorities, they actively cooperate with the administration and often cause real chaos in the zone. Another difference from the stronger sex is the desire to get out to freedom as quickly as possible, for which all means are good. The best way is to “knock” as actively as possible. Let's tell you more about authoritative women in prison.

Police statistics show: female crime is growing by approximately 5% per year. Moreover, the beautiful half of humanity does not waste time on trifles: up to 30% of “female” crimes are murders. Sometimes very, very cruel. It is curious that the victims, as a rule, are men. And these are not only husbands, cohabitants or drinking buddies. The fair sex has also learned to be a remarkable thief in relation to the stronger sex.

If a woman has not yet had children before entering the zone, correctional workers say, she often becomes a repeat offender. The husband (if he is not the victim, of course) in most cases abandons her, and nothing else connects the criminal with “civil” life. Once in the zone, a woman will certainly encounter authoritative inmates who can turn her life behind bars into a real hell.

Who are they, female authorities? As employees of the Federal Penitentiary Service say “over a tape recorder,” there are practically no criminal prisoners left in Russia now. In the middle of the last century they still existed and now on the beach you can see cute grandmothers with tattoos “I will die for metal!” or “The CPSU is the enemy of the people!” They were called Baghdadki (the exact origin of the term could not be established). Nowadays, modern convicts hardly remember this word.

Female authorities are called simply - multi-walker. But in principle, one sentence (sentence) is enough if the convict is physically strong and psychologically aggressive. This is precisely one of the differences between the women’s zone and the men’s zone - often in women’s zones, authority is gained through brute force, in a fight. Whereas for men - intelligence and impeccable behavior from a point of view.

And as for concepts. Unlike thieves, female authorities work in the zone (though they don’t really bother, but the principle itself is important). In addition, they “knock”. And how! In women's zones, the administration uses the eternal female craving for gossip to the fullest. There is a line of informants, so to speak. Why is that? Only “cooperation” can allow the convicted person to gain authoritative status. The influence of the administration in women's zones is great (unlike men's), and therefore disobedient ones are broken off at the moment.

Kobla in prison

As one of the convicts told me, multi-walkers are favored by the administration primarily for material benefits. This includes quiet, dusty work, an overtime date, or the opportunity to have a cell phone and much more. There are other “barters” for valuable information about neighbors. First of all, female authorities differ from thieves in that prison is not their home after all, and they really dream of getting out into freedom. And as soon as possible. Therefore, the best payment for “cooperation” on the part of the administration is a recommendation to the court for parole. And this is the difference from thieves - a proper prisoner must sit from bell to bell.

It is no secret that many “authorities” are “cobles”, that is, “men”, lovers of same-sex sex. In one of the zones where I visited, the head of the colony swore that they did not have “couples.” And this, they say, will never be allowed. But, as it turned out in a personal conversation with convicts, there are “couples”. It’s just that “female love” is allowed not to all prisoners, but to selected, close, useful ones. So the right to be a “coble” must be earned by careful observations of the other inmates.

As for the employees of women's correctional institutions, it is clear that they are more than satisfied with this state of affairs. Total surveillance of each other eliminates the possibility of escapes and even all sorts of minor violations of the established regime. Such an example. In one colony, where it is forbidden to bring tea from the canteen to the barracks, one of the prisoners did so. It was very cold and I wanted to warm myself up somehow. Within minutes they came to her. It is clear that such a nervous and unhealthy environment created by multi-walkers provokes scandals and conflicts between convicts. Moreover, they are women. It is well known that even two “beautiful halves,” even if they are related, do not get along in the same kitchen. And here are several hundred.

As convicts in one of the colonies said, conflicts between prisoners on everyday grounds arise every day. If we continue to compare different-sex authorities, then men try to prevent anything like this: maintaining a certain order is one of their tasks. Multi-walkers are a different matter. They can beat someone up simply because they are in a bad mood. On such critical days there is no respite from them, say the convicts who spoke with me.

So, one of them, let’s call her Olya, said the following: “The only thing that saved me was that I was a little frostbitten myself. She was put in prison for committing robbery.
on men. Finding myself here, I was stunned by the atrocities of the multi-walkers. They immediately tried to subdue me. Under no circumstances should you obey, this is my advice to beginners. Otherwise you will end up in real slavery. One of the authorities called me scum. I made a “turn”: I pierced her shoulder with scissors. After that, they left me behind, but not everyone is as determined as me.”

Prisoner Alla echoes her: “If you are “warming”, then it’s okay, they tolerate you. But no one sends me anything: that’s why they can beat me for nothing and force me to do some dirty work.”

The convict Elena says that despite the fact that on a bathing day in their colony only an hour per detachment is allotted for washing, the multi-walkers wash first and for about forty-five minutes. The rest get out as best they can in a meager 15 minutes for women.

As for the position of the colonial administrations regarding this, they pretend that nothing like this exists, because it simply cannot exist. It is clear that the colony staff know everything, but, in their opinion, it is better to choose the lesser evil. After all, mass and organized riots of prisoners are much more unpleasant for them. Here the stars from the shoulder straps can fly off. Oiled multi-walkers will never allow this.

The world we live in is quite dangerous. There are people nearby who are capable of doing bad things. They are a serious threat to society. A prison is an institution where people are held who have been convicted of crimes, some of them very violent. But prisons are no less cruel, they are full of aggression and disease.

Bangkwang Prison, which is 11 km from Bangkok, Thailand, is known as the “Bangkok Hilton”, but it is radically different from the famous hotel. This prison is known for inmates succumbing to torture. Prisoners are kept in very cramped cells. Those sentenced to death are given an injection of a lethal drug. During the first three months of their stay in a correctional facility, prisoners wear shackles on their legs at all times.

The New York prison is known for violent relationships among prisoners. It is located in the Bronx and costs $800 million annually from the national budget to maintain. Wardens and guards who work in the prison are forced to witness brutal behavior by prisoners on a daily basis, including beatings and even murder. That's why the establishment is known for its strictness. As a result of the reforms, the number of annual stabbings has decreased.

The prison was founded in 1852 and today is known as the oldest in California. It is equipped with a gas chamber, although it is not used. To carry out a death sentence, injections of a lethal drug are used. The prison has ongoing problems with inmate abuse. In 2006, an incident occurred in which 100 prisoners were injured and two were killed. At that time, the media wrote that the conditions of detention of prisoners were life-threatening. In recent years, efforts have been made in the prison to improve the situation so that conditions in prison become more bearable.

Alcatraz prison, which is located on an island off the coast of San Francisco, is the most famous in the world. The most dangerous criminals in criminal history served their sentences there. One of them was Al Capone, nicknamed "Scar". The prison was known for its brutal living and detention conditions. In 1946, an incident known as the "Battle of Alcatraz" occurred when prisoners tried to escape from the prison. In 1963, the prison was closed not only because a lot of budget money was spent on its maintenance, but also because of its bad reputation.

The prison located in Venezuela is one of the most brutal in the world. Up to 15,000 people can simultaneously serve their sentences in the buildings of the correctional institution, but in fact there are 25,000 prisoners there. Not only is the prison overcrowded, but it also has the largest staff, with 1 warden per 150 inmates. In 1994, an incident occurred here that resulted in the death of 108 prisoners. A year later, in 1995, 624 prisoners were injured and 196 died as a result of staff brutality.

Gitarama Prison in Rwanda is considered "hell on earth." Instead of 500 prisoners, there are 6,000 in prison. This is a real genocide against the population of Rwanda. Due to the overcrowding, many prisoners are forced to constantly stand, which entails the development of leg diseases, and the fact that they also defecate while standing and continue to stand in excrement aggravates the conditions of detention by infection. As a result, many prisoners have their limbs amputated, leading to re-infection and even death.

Santé Prison is located in Paris, France. It is known as an extremely violent place, where hundreds of prisoners live within certain strict hierarchical relationships, which are exacerbated by the conditions of detention. Those who are weaker than others live in constant danger. Prisoners are only allowed out of their cells for 4 hours a day to limit inmate interaction. This prison is considered one of the most terrible prisons in the world.

Diyarbakir prison in Turkey is known for its inhumane living conditions and the fact that it housed children sentenced to life imprisonment. The cruelty present in this prison comes from the guards themselves. In 1996, there was an incident where guards and police brutally beat prisoners: 10 people were killed and 23 were injured or injured. Due to the cruel treatment of prisoners, the prison is considered one of the worst.

2. Tadmor Prison

Karandiru Prison

The Carandiru prison in Brazil is considered the worst in the world. In 1992, there was an incident in which 102 prisoners were killed. In addition to the cruelty on the part of the prison guards, there is also a terrible health situation here: every fifth prisoner has HIV. Cruel treatment and inhumane conditions of serving the sentence made this place the most terrible on Earth.
But, probably, the punishment should not be the terrible conditions of detention, but those introduced in some prisons around the world.

Tenth place. Once upon a time there was a nurse with a beautiful appearance, but a strong character. She got a husband - a scoundrel. The coincidence of circumstances turns out to be that the main character kills him. He ends up in prison, which in fact turns out to be a slave colony. Inhumane conditions and constant humiliation from the administration forces Francis to start a rebellion...

Revenge of a Deceived Woman (2004)

Ninth place. Indian cinema, but without dancing. The main character named Sarika has found her love and is preparing for her wedding. A future husband is every woman’s dream, a wealthy, handsome man. From prison to scrip, don’t promise. The authorities accuse Sarika of terrorism. The confused heroine is sent to prison. She is not to blame for anything, but in a difficult situation there is nowhere to wait for help, even her fiancé leaves her. Complete with external problems comes a matron with the character of a beast. It is here that the real character of the quiet, inconspicuous girl becomes visible. To survive you have to resort to cruelty.

Emmanuel in Prison (1983)

In eighth place is a film about an overly persistent journalist. Emmanuel is interested in the life of a large and influential bribe-taker. The civil servant raises his connections, and Emmanuel ends up in prison on a false but serious charge. This is a maximum security women's colony. There she faces several problems. This includes the bullying of the guards and the conflict with the local authority figure Albina. In a prison where knife fights take place at the instigation of the guards, you need to survive. And at the same time do not lose yourself. Things get even worse when four thugs escape from the death block and take over the women's camp.

Girls in Prison (1994)

The remake of the 1956 film of the same name is in seventh place. The main character, a participant in the music business, is accused of murdering a producer. According to the laws in force in 1952, she was given a life sentence in a women's colony. With life behind bars ahead of her, she needs to adapt. She will have to find a common language with her fellow sufferers.

Ruined Palace (1999)

Two girlfriends are graduating from school. They are flying to Thailand to celebrate the holiday. Take a chance to meet a handsome guy who seems nice. The whole company goes to Hong Kong. And instead of resting, the main characters end up in prison because of the heroin that a fan gave them. As a result, each receives 33 years in prison. After an escape attempt, 15 more are added to them. The girls have a lawyer - Hank Green, and he conscientiously fulfills his duties. But the powers that be are interested in imprisoning the girls... Sixth place.

Orange is the New Black (2013)

The top five opens with a series about how stupidity in youth can cripple your entire life. The main characters hung out together when they were young and were a couple. But one of them settled down and got married, while the other remained in dubious company. Alex Voz is involved in drugs and does not allow his ex-girlfriend to live in peace. And Piper wants to forget her past, and is sure that she has cleansed herself. But she is summoned to the police, and there are interrogations and, as a result, a court decision - 15 months in prison. A rich and well-groomed woman finds herself in a society of criminals...

Arrestantskaya (2008)

A regular college student is dating a guy. The standard situation is that the guy cheated on her. Out of the box, with another guy. Now he has two kinds of relationships. And there are also two people who are in love with him. A piquant plot, as a result of which the main character ends up in prison on trumped-up charges. In addition to everything, she is pregnant, and therefore is serving her sentence in a special department for women with children. Julia does not want to have an abortion and endures all the difficulties of imprisonment with dignity. After the birth, people appear who want to take the baby, among whom is her ex-boyfriend’s chosen one.

Sympathy for Lady Vengeance (2005)

Third place is a South Korean drama about a woman who is accused of being an accomplice to a maniac who kidnapped and killed a child. For a crime she did not commit, Kam Zha Lee receives 13 years in a women's colony. She finds a common language with the prisoners there and, moreover, makes friends there. Thanks to her kind and sympathetic character, she even receives the nickname “Warm Lady Kam Ja”. All 13 years old, she has kept in her soul a plan for revenge on the man for whom she ended up in prison. And her prisoner friends will help her realize her revenge after her release.

Bangkok Hilton (1989)

In second place is a series about an Australian girl, Kat Stanton, who goes to look for her father in Thailand. On the way he meets a terribly attractive man. He will be the cause of all her troubles. The handsome guy stuffs Kat with his luggage. And there are drugs, and enough to ensure the death penalty for the heroine. Then a local lawyer appears and tries his best to help Catherine. It is unknown where he came from, but it turns out that the past is much closer and the lawyer appeared for a reason. Will he be able, contrary to the laws of Thailand, to save the girl from imminent execution?

Double Mistake (1999)

The first place is rightfully occupied by an American-German film about how a person cannot be convicted twice for the same thing. The main character lives a happy life with her beloved husband Nick and son. During a romantic cruise on a yacht, she wakes up covered in blood and holding a bloody knife. Based on this evidence and a recording of her husband asking for help because his wife stabbed him, Libby is sentenced to real time in a women's prison. While the main character is in prison, where she is not very well liked for her wealth, her friend discovers that her husband Nick is very much alive and quite healthy. Among the prisoners is a former lawyer. This woman helps Libby get free. Now the ex-wife can kill Nick, because she has already served time for this...

The life of women prisoners in Russian camps has always been very different from the laws of existence of male prisoners. The biggest differences can be observed in terms of interpersonal communication. In the men's zone, "low-down" or passive homosexuals become pariahs that no one even dares to touch.

In women's prisons, "pickers", or lesbians, are a common sight. Adherents of same-sex love are quite respected members of the prison community. The women's zone also has its own special expressions, which are not used in prisons where only men are kept.

"Parasha". She's an "old lady"

A latrine in any prison is never called a “toilet.” Even in pre-revolutionary Russia, prisoners of both sexes used slang expressions to replace this concept. Even political prisoners - mostly highly educated ladies, and sometimes heirs of aristocratic families - used them. The bucket for collecting sewage was called a “bowl” or “old woman”. These jargons are also used in men's prisons.

"Rubles"

In a women's prison there is a category of prisoners who fall into sexual slavery to guards and other representatives of the camp administration (“godfathers”). The prisoners call them “ruble money.” This concept comes from the Stalinist Gulag. For their services, sex slaves receive certain privileges: they may not perform general work, receive additional food, etc.

Not all rubles are the same. In the 20-50s, there was a whole classification of privileged prisoners on Solovki: “half-ruble”, “15-kopeck” (or “five-altyn”) and “ruble” proper. Depending on her rank, a woman received different benefits and “bonuses.” If a prisoner refused to have sexual contact with her godfather, she was doomed to constant cruel oppression.

"Mothers"

“Mothers” in women’s prisons were women who were either already pregnant from the outside, or who conceived while in prison. In the second case, prisoners became pregnant with benefit: the conditions of detention for women with bellies were much easier than for the rest of the prisoners.

"Elder"

Any convict newly admitted to the zone first of all encounters the “elder”. This is the name given to the main prisoner in a squad (or cell), who is responsible for order. A lot depends on the “elders”. They can “snitch” the administration on unreliable or excessively conflicting friends, and sometimes restore order on their own. The prison authorities usually turn a blind eye to the arbitrariness of the “seniors”, because they help keep prisoners under a tight rein.

"Family Girls"

In women's colonies, so-called “families” are very common. They are small groups of women who jointly run a simple household and provide each other with all kinds of support. A “family” can consist of two or more people. Moreover, sexual relations do not always exist between them. A “family” is formed in order to make the existence of its members easier. Life in prison is harsh, but surviving together is much easier.

"Kobly" and "pickers"

In some cases, “families” are formed by lesbian couples: “cobles” (active) and “pickers” (passive lesbians). The latter are also called “chickens”. It is generally accepted that lesbian relationships are the norm in women's prisons. This is not entirely true. Most often, women who have been serving a long term and have already had lesbian experience before imprisonment get a partner.

“Collective farmers” and “bull suckers”

The lowest category of prisoners are “collective farmers” - downtrodden and stupid prisoners. This also includes the “bull sucker”. This is the name given to weak-willed, dejected nurses who do not hesitate to pick up cigarette butts from others.

Despite all the coarseness of the vocabulary and the rigidity of the gradation of prisoners, life in women's colonies is simpler and more bearable than in men's colonies. Women have less aggression, violent conflicts with self-harm are less likely to occur, and there is often even a ban on the use of prison “give a damn” in conversations. The senior officer in the squad monitors compliance with this rule.

In Russian places of deprivation of liberty for women, the hierarchy of prisoners and life in general differs significantly from men's zones and prisons - there, as a rule, there are no concepts and thieves in law do not rule. However, there is a certain caste division in the “ladies’” MLS. The outcasts here have the same qualities as everywhere else.

Those who will pass a priori The most despised prisoners in women's MLS are somewhat different from representatives of the lower stripes in men's zones and prisons - here the hierarchical ladder has its own steps. First of all, in a women’s prison, what matters is the personality of the convict, and not her track record of time served and previous criminal “merits.” Strictly speaking, in women's zones and prisons there are almost no specific categories of prisoners who are initially and fundamentally oppressed and pressed - everything depends mainly on the personal qualities of the convict. Outcasts in women's MLS are mostly simply shunned. Some of the most despised in women's MLS are heroin addicts, drug addicts with extensive experience. These are morally emasculated individuals who can sell and betray literally for a pinch of tea, a bar of soap or a cigarette. They try to “monetize” any worthwhile information coming from a new acquaintance by contacting the MLS administration. In the zones and in the cells of the pre-trial detention center, inmates try to live in “families” - make a friend (friends) due to misfortune and do common simple housekeeping with them.

This has nothing to do with lesbian inclinations - it’s just easier to survive in prison this way; women are driven to such a method of settling down in special conditions by the instinct of nepotism inherent in the fairer sex from the very beginning, from above. Heroin addicts are loners, no one accepts them into the “family”. Women, unlike men, are by definition more talkative, so some nurses may not even deliberately, but “out of simplicity of heart.” Such people are also shunned in zones and prisons, but they are not particularly oppressed - the “elder” knows all the informers in the cell or in the detachment, and it is considered that it is better to be “one of our own” than a new one sent, from whom you do not know what to expect. Child killers and the sick Killers of their children in the women's zone can easily be beaten and then constantly humiliated - these are initially outcasts among the convicts, perhaps the main category of inmates who are destined to pay in captivity for their past. In women's zones and prisons there are many people with HIV (diagnosed with human viral immunodeficiency), patients with sexually transmitted diseases or cancer. These people are also shunned out of a sense of disgust and fear of getting infected.

You have to work or you'll get screwed. In the lower caste, anyone can end up in the women's zone if she doesn't fulfill the production task. A woman (girl) who is unable to master a sewing machine and produce the daily quota is threatened with serious discord in the detachment, up to and including beating: the entire team suffers from her work. Members of the detachment can have their hair pulled out, their teeth knocked out, and in the punishment cell they will be beaten with batons. Even if the nurse has a good “warm-up” from the outside, but she does not know how to sew, she most often still cannot avoid “cradles”. Lost In the women's zone and prison, it is especially important for their “guests” to maintain physical cleanliness, which is not so easy compared to conditions in the wild. They don’t like people who are sick and have neglected themselves and are avoided. It is not for nothing that one of the most valuable real currencies in such MLSs, along with cigarettes and tea, is a simple bar of soap. Not everyone manages to receive good transfers from outside, and therefore many prisoners are hired to be on duty for others for a couple of packs of cigarettes, tea or shampoo - duty can always be bought. Such convicts are not despised by others if they keep themselves clean and do not make mistakes; they are simply in a hopeless situation.