New figures from Redfern Legal Centre show a shocking number of children are being strip searched by NSW Police. Paul Gregoire reports.
strip searches
Rachel Evans reports on a protest outside Silverwater Correctional Services to demand an end to strip searches on female detainees.
The Commander of the Inner West Police Area Command apologised to Socialist Alliance members Rachel Evans and Susan Price on September 11 for the “distress and embarrassment” suffered during their arrest in 2017, after the matter was resolved in a confidential settlement.
The number of strip searches carried out by NSW police has risen almost 20-fold in less than 12 years, with young people being the main targets, a new report has found.
A new campaign aimed at stopping unnecessary strip searches, providing fairness and dignity for young people and ensuring safe music and cultural festivals for young people has been launched.
Last year, shortly after we participated in a protest against the Australian government’s cruel refugee policy, we were snatched off the street by police and taken to Newtown Police Station. Once inside we were separated and strip searched. We were not charged with any offence. What happened to us happens to marginalised people all the time and it needs to stop.