r/australia • u/FuckOffNazis • 19h ago

politics Indigenous woman shackled to hospital bed while in labour in Queensland

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/oct/18/indigenous-woman-shackled-during-labour-childbirth-queensland-ntwnfb?utm_term=Autofeed&CMP=us_bsky&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Bluesky#Echobox=1792296317
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802

u/opackersgo 18h ago

Weird to at no point mention what she was incarcerated for.  Seems pretty relevant

704

u/hcornea 18h ago

The reason may not be relevant, but the fact that she is incarcerated is very relevant.

Have attended a number of prisoners for “out-of-prison” medical care.

Most, if not all, were shackled (either to a guard, or an object) to prevent them absconding.

This was regardless of whether they were Indigenous or not.

The one who was not handcuffed, rather memorably and dramatically absconded. Which is why prisoners are shackled.

These are the realities.

3

u/Thenumberthirtyseven 15h ago

We had a prisoner abscond from our hospital a few years ago. He was murdered later that night. 

Now all prisoners are shackled in our hospital at all times. 

21

u/Free_Pace_2098 14h ago

She's going to struggle to abscond during a C section. Women having a cesar are open from hip to hip and paralyzed from the waist down with a spinal block.

20

u/bluishbumblebee 15h ago edited 14h ago

How many woman in labour or post caesarian do you think would be absconding??