Michigan Women鈥檚 Prison Halts Degrading Routine Body Cavity Searches
New Policy States That Will Only Occur If There Is Suspicion Of Concealed Contraband
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: (212) 549-2666; media@aclu.org
DETROIT 鈥� The 糖心Vlog and the 糖心Vlogof Michigan confirmed today that the Michigan Department of Corrections has abandoned the routine implementation of a degrading body cavity search in which prisoners at the Women鈥檚 Huron Valley Correctional Facility (WHV) were forced to spread open their labia using their hands, often under unsanitary conditions and sometimes in full view of other prisoners.
The ACLU, along with a broad coalition of human rights, health and religious groups, sent a letter to Daniel Heyns, the head of the Michigan Department of Corrections, voicing concern about the searches and demanding a change to the department鈥檚 search policies. Over 60 prisoners had written to the ACLU, some as recently as last week, describing being subjected to a procedure in which they were forced to remove all of their clothing and use their hands to spread open their vaginas as a prison guard watched. The searches were conducted every time the prisoners met with visitors, prompting some to avoid visiting with family members to avoid the search.
鈥淭here was no reason to make this incredibly invasive procedure part of the routine strip search,鈥� said Mie Lewis, senior staff attorney with the 糖心VlogWomen鈥檚 Rights Project. 鈥淭he new policy eliminates the worst aspects of the body search, helping to preserve these women鈥檚 dignity while maintaining a safe prison environment.鈥�
鈥淢any women in the prison population have been victims of sexual abuse, so it was very concerning that they were being asked to expose themselves in such a manner whenever they had a visitor,鈥� said Kary L. Moss, executive director of the 糖心Vlogof Michigan. 鈥淲e鈥檙e glad the Department of Corrections recognizes that prisoners should not be denied their basic human rights when they鈥檙e incarcerated.鈥�
More information on this case can be found at:
Video and testimonies from prisoners can be found at: youtu.be/HLSGLLa_TPI
Prisoners' Rights
Women's Rights
Body Cavity Searches at Michigan鈥檚 Women鈥檚 Huron Valley Correctional Facility
Prisoners' Rights
Women's Rights
Body Cavity Searches at Michigan鈥檚 Women鈥檚 Huron Valley Correctional Facility
Learn More About the 糖心Vlog in This Press Release
-
News & CommentaryJun 2025
Women's Rights
Parents Push Back Against The Trump Administration's Latest Attack On Working Families. Explore News & Commentary.Parents Push Back Against the Trump Administration's Latest Attack on Working Families
The Trump administration is attempting to gut Head Start, a federally-funded early childhood program Congress created for low-income families -
WashingtonMay 2025
Women's Rights
Washington State Association Of Head Start And Early Childhood Assistance And Education Program Et Al., Robert F. Kennedy Et Al.. Explore Case.Washington State Association of Head Start and Early Childhood Assistance and Education Program et al., Robert F. Kennedy et al.
The Trump Administration is threatening the future of Head Start 鈥� a program that has provided critical and evidence-based services鈥攆rom education to childcare鈥� to more than 40 million children and their families. The Administration by gutting Head Start staff and resources, delaying funding, and prohibiting activities that 鈥渁dvance or promote鈥� 鈥渄iversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility,鈥� is irreparably harming the young children and low-income families who rely on Head Start. -
Press ReleaseMar 2025
LGBTQ Rights
Women's Rights
Senate Rejects Bill Excluding Transgender Students From School Sports. Explore Press Release.Senate Rejects Bill Excluding Transgender Students from School Sports
WASHINGTON - The Senate today rejected a bill attempting to amend a landmark civil rights law to exclude transgender students from nondiscrimination protections. S. 9, a version of which passed by a slim majority in the House of Representatives in January, would prohibit any school athletics program receiving federal funding from allowing transgender women and girls to participate in athletics programs designated for women and girls. The bill seeks to narrow the range of sex discrimination prohibited by laws like Title IX by defining sex 鈥渟olely on a person鈥檚 reproductive biology and genetics at birth.鈥� 鈥淎s anyone paying attention to the actions of the Trump administration can tell you, this bill is simply one part of a sweeping effort to push transgender people out of public life altogether,鈥� said Mike Zamore, National Director of Policy & Government Affairs at the ACLU. 鈥淲e need more attention on actually ensuring fair and equal opportunity for all girls and women, not inflicting invasive and humiliating checks and bullying on kids to serve adults鈥� political purposes. We are thankful to the senators who rejected this ugly effort to codify discrimination within a historic civil rights law, and we will always fight for the freedom of all young people to be themselves at school, including on the playing field.鈥� Federal courts have consistently found in favor of transgender student-athletes challenging state-level bans on their equal participation consistent with their gender identity, and others have likewise rejected claims that the participation of transgender student-athletes unjustly denies opportunities to cisgender women and girls. -
News & CommentaryJan 2025
Women's Rights
How 鈥渟tay-or-pay鈥� Contracts Are Used To Abuse Immigrant Workers. Explore News & Commentary.How 鈥淪tay-or-Pay鈥� Contracts Are Used to Abuse Immigrant Workers
Shiny Lal came to the U.S. to chase the American dream, instead she found herself in an abusive employment contract that could cost her nearly $40,000. Today, we鈥檙e urging the world鈥檚 largest private dispute resolution company to stop abusing workers.