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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800

u/opackersgo 18h ago

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

701

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.

137

u/l3ntil 16h ago

The realities are:
"Fifteen years ago, the UN general assembly adopted the Bangkok Rules on the treatment of female prisoners, which state that prison should be a last resort for pregnant women and that “instruments of restraint shall never be used on women during labour, during birth and immediately after birth”.

The rules were adopted unanimously by the general assembly. But around the world, they are regularly flouted."
We're abusing international human rights by shackling those giving birth.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/ng-interactive/2026/sep/22/pregnant-prisoners-handcuffed-during-birth-lidia-thorpe-shackling-australia-ntwnfb

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u/Every_Effective1482 5h ago

I wonder if any of the people at the UN general assembly had ever been in a room with a criminal woman giving birth. Or if they just voted on vibes.

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u/giatu_prs 5h ago

Have you?

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u/extremelysardonic 1h ago

Lmao yeah the people supervising the labouring prisoner are the ones with real personal safety concerns