Descriptive study of sexual behaviour amongst women inmates of a Tunisian prison

Summary Introduction Prison is by definition a place where freedom is removed, and where the sexual dimension is also missing and sexual practices strictly prohibited. Studies concerning sexuality in prison are still few and far between. The aim of the present study was to make a first report on sexual behaviour in a Tunisian prison, and assess sexuality in a population of women prisoners and the impact of detention on some parameters of sexuality. Method We conducted a horizontal study for descriptive and analytical purposes, between March and August 2013 at the women's detention centre in Manouba. The women inmates were interviewed about their affective and sexual life using a hetero questionnaire with 27 items referring to various themes related to sexual behaviour before and after imprisonment. The items consisted of statements with single or multiple choices, and in some cases, open questions. Results Thirty women were included with mean age of 30.77 years. Three women (10%) were awaiting trial. More than half of the subjects (56.7%) describe their previous sex-life as poor and without commitment. Following their imprisonment, 73.3% of women reported a change in sexual desire and 53.3% reported a lack of fantasies. A third of inmates reported masturbatory activities and 23.33% admitted to having homosexual intercourse during their period of imprisonment. Conclusion The results of our study have enabled a process of reflection to be engaged on the actions to be proposed, targeting this taboo, in order to improve prison conditions.