COMMISSIONER of Prisons Percy Chato says more research should be done to establish the extent of homosexuality among male prisoners.
Mr Chato says statistics of 2011 indicate that 1.6 percent of the prisoners admitted having sex “with someone” in prison and 47.1 percent confessed practising homosexuality.
Mr Chato said a report “A serobehavioral of the HIV and AIDS situation in Zambian prisons” released in July 2011 also indicates that 24.1 percent of prisoners confessed that many inmates were having sex with each other.
“As Zambia Prisons Service (ZPS), we recognise the existence of sodomy in our prisons,” Mr Chato said.
“The challenge we are faced with as prisons administrators is that we do not know to what extent it [homosexuality] exists or whether it is a forced sexual practice or consensual sexual practice,” Mr Chato said.
He noted the outcry from some stakeholders on the need to distribute condoms in prisons and that the calls have increased after he recently talked on legalities surrounding distribution of condoms and homosexuality.
Mr Chato also said between 1998 and 1999, it was noted that the major risk behaviours of HIV transmission among inmates were unprotected sex, tattooing, injection during drug use and sharing of shaving instruments.
He said available information regarding homosexuality in Zambian prisons is limited and this is why the command feels that research on sodomy, homosexuality and distribution of condoms should be done.
He further said as of November 22 last year, the HIV prevalence rate among 3,008 male prisoners stood at 10 percent while it was five percent among 104 female inmates.
“Therefore, the issue of sodomy, men having sex with men (MSM) and condoms in prisons requires further investigations….We challenge those who are challenging us to prove what we are doing to verify these statistics…,” Mr Chato said.
The prisons chief also says to end the debate on the distribution of condoms in prisons, there is need to promote and support participatory approach in designing, implementation and evaluation of HIV programmes in prisons that address homosexuality and condom use.
Mr Chato said ZPS through various measures has been proactive in addressing HIV/AIDS in prisons, therefore other stakeholders “should not crucify us on the issue of condoms in prison, like what happened in the article by Dr Manasseh Phiri in the Sunday Post of August 25, 2013.”
He also said prisoners, prison staff and other stakeholders should be consulted before arriving on any conclusions on the matter.
what is there to research about that rubbish? smh
available statistics are there to confirm, what more do you need?
better encourage masturbation by inmates if you feel ashamed of talking about reality of homos in prisons
Quit this homosexuality its a big taboo in our african culture.An a-hole is for one purpose only….and thats why i named mine “one direction”
Research upon research has shown time and again that Homosexuality is in fact not genetic. It is a choice, just as bestiality is not genetic, but a choice, just as incest is not genetic but a choice. So, prison inmates need help to minimize having to make that choice. Now, that’s a tall order in an environment where there are no women.
Post links to show evidence supporting your assertion, please.
Oh that’s right, you won’t, because there isn’t.
Why should anyone listen to someone on the internet who merely says “research shows…”
Yes Mr Chato there is a big problem of homosexuality in our prisons and no bones about it. As a direction to the solution, why don’t you consider allowing their wives or girlfriends to partner them once a week? In my view this approach will, to a larger extent reduce the practise and as we are said to be a Christian nation, giving to those in need is one theme which stands out in the bible.
That would help in some way but I still think some would end up bisexual. When wife or girlfriend doesn’t make it for conjugal visit,the guy would be busy with his fellow inmates. AIDS would just be transferred from prison to outside world and from outside world to prison. I doubt that a warm blooded woman would wait for a man sentenced to ten years imprisonment. Weekly ntweni for next ten years nayo is a bit hard kwati…just saying pantu umulopa ulenda mwandi…kikiki
I yeeeee mwaice wandi @ayoba walasa and because of your explaination, I will try by all means to be a law abiding citizen so that I avoid that hell called prison.
Baka ba twalile fin.yo fya plastic limbi, coz abstaing aint eazy in prison with plenty of black a.sholes all over the place
Reaserch at Post Newspaper reveals that ba Fred Mmembe is a homo
The percentages seem all over the place; I’d like more information about the study. But here are some ways to reduce transmission: Sentencing reform (reduce number of people in prison), make condoms available to inmates, more support for and screening of guards to protect inmates from sexual predators (both fellow inmates and staff), allow conjugal visits from wives and girlfriends, and put all HIV-positive inmates on ART (and keep drug supplies consistent and give them more food to encourage adherence) so that viral loads decrease.