4 Self-harm In 2019, some 103 self-harm incidents were recorded across the women’s prison estate. Six self-harm incidents were recorded in Arohata Prison. Auckland Women’s recorded 56 incidents, 11 of which were committed by one woman. Christchurch Women’s Prison recorded 41 incidents, 14 by one woman. Self-harm incidents varied from superficial cuts to head-banging and lifethreatening attempts, and many were by self-strangulation. Several self-harm incidents occurred following force being used on the woman. A large number of self-harm incidents occurred whilst women were housed at an ISU (31 in Auckland and 25 at Christchurch Women’s Prison) some involving items such as staples and, in one case, a razor, which should not have been available to them in the ISU. A number of self-harm incidents involved the woman using their ‘anti-rip’ gown or bedding to self-harm with, raising questions as to their effectiveness and hence necessity. Women who self-harmed could be forcibly restrained, and misconduct charges brought against them. In one incident, for example, a woman who attempted suicide by hanging in her cell, once revived, was told by staff who cut the ligature off her neck that she would be removed to the prison’s ISU. “As the prisoner was getting moved out of her cell for relocation, she became non-compliant and insisted she wanted to see prisoner XX. This resulted in staff drawing their ICP (pepper spray) and cautioned [sic] prisoner to be compliant. Prisoner was placed in handcuffs and moved to ISU. … In ISU she became non-compliant again and refused to change into stitch gown and continued to abuse and threaten staff which resulted in spontaneous use of force”. There was no suggestion, as far as I could see, of taking the woman to a hospital following her attempt on her life, or indeed providing her with pastoral care or just a cup of tea. Instead, six officers entered her small cell, physically restraining her when she refused to wear an anti-rip gown. 45