At least one woman at risk of self-harm, suicide and violence was restrained using ‘anti-rip’ clothing in English prisons for every day of 2024, an investigation by openDemocracy can reveal.
Anti-rip clothing is made from thick material and has reinforced seams that prevent it from being torn and used as a ligature. It’s intended as a “last resort” when women in mental health crises are at real risk of harming themselves.
But it was used in women’s prisons in England on 424 occasions in 2024, according to Ministry of Justice data disclosed to openDemocracy under Freedom of Information laws.
