Access to safe, high-quality menstrual products is already a struggle for many Oklahomans. Other Oklahoma menstruators, who are currently serving time in prisons across the state, also struggle to access the products they need and are seeing products being withheld from them.
OUWHA’s “Pads for Prisons” program is hoping to provide additional products for inmates and bring awareness to this issue. Oklahoma is one of many states that currently has no legislation regarding the number of menstrual products prisons are required to give inmates, if provision is required. While voting and contacting local representatives is the only way citizens can hope to make a legal change, OUWHA is hoping to use its platform to donate products directly to those who need them.
Oklahoma has the highest rate of incarcerated women in the country. Because of their incarcerated status, they are unable to control the types of products they receive and how many they can use per cycle.
President of OU Women’s Health Advocacy (OUWHA), Kylie Hutchinson, said that these women are unable to take care of their menstrual health while in prison.
“The amount of menstrual products prisoners receive for free is on a per-month basis, and it’s decided by the warden at that time,” said Hutchinson.
Some menstruators are provided as few as five products per month, though periods can last up to seven days on average. This does not consider those who have longer or heavier flows. Many cannot purchase their products through prisons, as Oklahoma has the lowest prison pay rate nationally of $0.25-$0.75 an hour. Additionally, the prices face upcharges and include a sales tax, making them less attainable.
This results in menstruators using toilet paper, rags, and other miscellaneous materials to create their own pads or liners. Some individuals are coerced into providing sexual favors to receive more products.
“[Guards are] essentially using people as free labor or as sex slaves, or prostituting them, or forcing them to prostitute themselves out to get basic sanitary products,” said Hutchinson.
Last year, the inaugural year of this program, OUWHA raised $1,693 in 12 days, buying a total of 9792 pads with those funds. Along with Oklahoma’s branch of the Poetic Justice Organization, OUWHA put together Christmas baskets that were approved to go directly to prisoners.
However, this year, prisons are making this process more difficult.
Hutchinson said one of the group’s partners at Poetic Justice is unsure if the Christmas baskets will be approved by the prisons to be given directly to inmates. If they are not approved, they would be given to wardens to disperse.
While the organization hopes to raise money to purchase products, they do not want the wardens to use these items unfairly. Based on past treatment of menstruators by wardens and other prison guards, OUWHA and Poetic Justice both worry that inmates will not be provided these products without negative experiences.
OUWHA and Poetic Justice hope to speak with wardens and administration at prisons soon, looking to get baskets approved before the holiday season.
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