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The UK scandal of women handcuffed while in labour: ‘I was so shocked when the restraints weren’t removed’

The UK scandal of women handcuffed while in labour: ‘I was so shocked when the restraints weren’t removed’

Published: March 4, 2026 · The Guardian

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Pregnant women prisoners in England are being handcuffed to prison officers – often male – during intimate vaginal examinations and long, agonising births. Will this dehumanising treatment be stopped?