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Systems Abuse Follows Women Behind Prison Walls
The death of Chelsea Bracken at Mary Hutchinson Women’s Prison has exposed a critical failure – the correctional system itself perpetuates the abuse that brought women there.
Engender Equality’s new research reveals that 75% of victim-survivors of family violence experience systems abuse across multiple institutions. For incarcerated women—98% of whom have experienced physical abuse and 90% sexual violence—prison becomes another layer in this cycle of institutional harm.
Rather than healing trauma, correctional protocols often replicate it.
Advocates are calling for immediate action beyond coronial processes, which they note are not legally enforceable and do not obligate employers to make systemic changes. They are recommending an independent autopsy, formal documentation requests from all stakeholders, private investigation of witness accounts and crucially, a WorkSafe Tasmania investigation into occupational health and safety failures at the facility.
“Coronial findings alone are insufficient,” critics argue.
“We need independent scrutiny to identify preventable causes and enforce accountability.”
Tasmania’s prison population has grown faster than any other state, with the highest increases among women and First Nations prisoners. Yet systems remain designed without trauma-informed approaches or recognition that most incarcerated women are survivors first.
Engender Equality CEO Alina Thomas calls for urgent reform –
“We must move away from punishing victim-survivors for surviving violence and instead focus on support and rehabilitation.”
Chelsea Bracken’s death demands independent investigation and a fundamental shift – correctional facilities must become places of healing, not re-traumatisation.
Media release – Tasmanian Aboriginal Legal Service, 29 October 2025
DEATH IN CUSTODY
The Tasmanian Aboriginal Legal Service said today this statement contains the name of an Aboriginal person who has passed.
Tasmanian Aboriginal Legal Service CEO Jake Smith said Damian Bracken and the Bracken Family wishes to release the following statement:
“Our Chelsea will be remembered as a loving and vibrant individual.
“With her passing, we would like the space to mourn and grieve her passing. At this time we wish for respect, time and space.”
Smith said Chelsea Bracken was a Wiradjuri woman who passed in custody in Tasmania earlier this week.
“This is a tragedy. The loss of Chelsea – at only 21 – will profoundly impact her family, friends and the community.”
Smith said TALS will support the family and community during this difficult time.
“In Tasmania, Aboriginal people remain significantly overrepresented in custody and are five times more likely to be in custody that non-Aboriginal people.”
Death of young Aboriginal woman in custody sparks call for reform
Tasmanian advocate organisation, Engender Equality has called for reform after the death of Chelsea Bracken at Mary Hutchinson Women’s prison on Monday 27 October.
Engender Equality CEO, Alina Thomas extends deep condolences to the family and friends of Chelsea Bracken for their profound sense of loss, grief and anger.
“While the circumstances of Chelsea’s incarceration and death are unclear, the factors leading to women entering and returning to prison are deeply complex and often rooted in repeated and intergenerational experiences such as family and sexual violence, homelessness, poverty and child removal.
We know 98% of women prisoners have experienced physical abuse and 90% have experienced sexual violence and/or survived childhood sexual assault.
Kianna Whaling, a victim-survivor advocate with lived experience of the Tasmanian prison system said,
“Throughout my life, I was heavily addicted to substances as a coping mechanism to both numb and block out trauma that stemmed from intimate partner violence and sexual assault.
“As a result, I began selling substances to support my addiction which led to incarceration.
“Before my trial commenced I was told to prepare for 12 years and realised I needed to take steps to resolve my trauma and reached out to a counselling service.
I informed the prison nurse I was feeling a little uneasy after the counselling session and I was moved to solitary confinement under ‘suicide watch’ where I was left for several days without human contact and only a camera monitoring my state.
Alina Thomas said we must move away from a model that punishes victim-survivors for surviving violence, and instead focus on support, rehabilitation and justice.
“Correctional staff need to be more trauma-informed, and protocols should be in place to prevent re-traumatising women in prison.
“Our justice system must do better at supporting victim-survivors in prison.” Thomas said.
In the ten years from 2014 to 2024, Tasmania had the highest increase in the adult prison population; the highest increase in First Nations prisoners; and the highest increase in women prisoners of any State or Territory in Australia.
Engenda Equality Systems Abuse Research Paper here.
Media release – Narelle Pamplin, Director of Prisons, 28 October 2025
Death in Custody
• The Tasmania Prison Service can confirm that sadly a death in custody of a female prisoner occurred on Monday 27 October 2025.
• On behalf of the Tasmania Prison Service I extend my sincere condolences to the family and friends of the deceased woman at this difficult time.
• The Tasmania Prison Service will not be making any further comment as the matter will now be referred to the Coroner for examination.
• This is standard practice whenever a death occurs in a corrections environment.
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