Women are dying and its time to take a stand for women's lives Although the deaths of women shortly after leaving prison has been identified for a long time as a source of considerable concern, it is a problem that has yet to be recognised by Government, prisons, prison operators and other correctional agencies despite the fact that: *Between 1987 and 1997, at least 93 women have died shortly after leaving prison in Victoria alone. *73% of these deaths were drug related, and nearly 50% died less than three months after being released. 13% died within two days of release. *In the last six weeks alone, 8 women have died shortly after release from the Metropolitan Women's Correctional Centre. Some within hours/days of release. *To date there has been no public recognition of these deaths and it raises the question about the duty of care (or lack of) within the prison system and the immediate post-release period. *Housing, health, employment and financial assistance are major barriers facing women leaving prison. As a consequence, women leave prison with no place to go, no money, no food, no clothes, without their children and family, and with little or no support. *Women prisoners are the most disadvantaged in our society. Most come from backgrounds of extreme social and economic disadvantage; sexual, physical and/or mental abuse; unemployment and minimal education. *The impacts of powerlessness, deprivation, brutality, assaults and exclusion in prison have devastating effects on women prisoners, their lives and their deaths. For more information contact the Victorian Deaths in Custody Watch Committee via email [EMAIL PROTECTED] or telephone Vivianne (03) 9470 5058 or Catherine (03) 9317 7818 15 December 1999 ACTION ON WOMEN DYING AFTER RELEASE FROM PRISONS It is important that YOU get ACTIVE and take a stand for women's lives. Women are dying on a daily/weekly basis within hours, days and months of leaving prison. There are just about NO pre-release supports, information or education, there are just about NO post-release support services nor information. CAMPAIGN MEETING To organise a week of direct actions and commemoration on women dying post release. WHEN: Thursday 20 January 2000 WHERE: Darebin Community Legal Centre 80 High Street, Northcote 3070 TIME: 6.30pm How many more women have to die before something is done? Victorian Deaths in Custody Watch Committee, P. O. Box 1467, Collingwood 3066. -- Leftlink - Australia's Broad Left Mailing List mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.alexia.net.au/~www/mhutton/index.html Sponsored by Melbourne's New International Bookshop Subscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=subscribe%20leftlink Unsubscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=unsubscribe%20leftlink