A few years ago, when I was 19, I was sentenced to two years in prison for drug offences. I hadn't really done anything -- my boyfriend was the one dealing in drugs, but because he was operating from my flat, I was charged as well. I was very frightened: I was a well-educated middle-class girl in my first year at University: I'd never been in trouble with the law before, or mixed with criminals. I'd heard terrible stories about the sorts of things that happened to people in prison, but nothing I'd heard could have prepared me for the awful reality.
As soon as the judge had sentenced me my hands were cuffed behind my back, and I was taken from the courtroom to a blacked-out van. Several hours later, on arrival at Sparsebrook Women's Prison, I was marched along several cold, grey corridors, and finally pushed through a door marked "Processing". Here I was fingerprinted, photographed, made to hand over all my possessions, including my rings, and ordered by a grim-faced Warden to strip off. Once I had done so the Warden bagged all my belongings and told me I would be given my prison uniform later. Then I was told to wait "until they are ready for you".
I stood there, cold, naked and feeling very scared and vulnerable, for about half an hour. Then a door opened further down the corridor, and a huge, butch-looking prison warden with a crew cut stepped out, and called:
"Send her in: We're ready for her now".
I was marched towards a door marked "Examination Room" and propelled inside. There I was confronted by four prison wardens: the huge, butch one I had seen first; a second, almost equally intimidating woman, short and stocky with a mean-looking face and short black hair, and two others, one black one white, a little younger but no less hostile-looking, and likewise wearing warden's uniforms, of black jackets and skirts.
"So," said the Amazonian warden: "who have we got here?" She picked up a clipboard and began to read:
"Littlehayes, Chloe: Age 19, University Student. Twenty-four months Dealing Class A Drugs."
She put the clipboard down and turned to the others:
"We don't like drug-dealers in here do we?
"We certainly don't," chorused the two younger wardens.
"Scum of the earth," spat the stocky one.
"Alright blondie," said the one who seemed to be in charge: "I'm Chief Officer Hardiman; this is my deputy, Officer Dawes, and these two are Trainee Officers Bradley and Clark. You don't need to remember their names, you address us all as 'Sir'. Understand?"
"Yes Sir," I said.
"Good: now get on that couch, stretch your arms above your head and draw up your knees. Let's see if you've been foolish enough to bring any drugs in here with you."
I stared at the couch -- it was like the sort of medical couch you find in a hospital consulting room. There were stirrups at the lower end, and extentions at the tops, to which were attached straps. Behind the couch, along a wall, was a work-top with sinks, shower nozzles, and all manner of tubes and odd-looking appliances.
"Now!" bawled a voice behind me: "When I give you an order you jump to it, do you understand?"
"Yes," I gasped, clambering quickly onto the couch.
"Yes WHAT?" roared Hardiman.
"Yes Sir," I said.
"I can see we're going to have trouble with this one," said Hardiman, giving her deputy a meaningful look.
I lay on the couch and stretched out my arms, doing my best to comply. The next thing I knew, both my hands had been seized, and straps had been clamped around each wrist, such that I couldn't move my hands or arms.
"What did I tell you to do with your knees?" demanded Officer Hardiman.
In the shock of finding my arms clamped I'd forgotten to draw up my knees. I did so now. Officer Hardiman took hold of one of my feet whilst Officer Dawes stepped round the couch and took hold of the other. Together they strapped my feet into the stirrups, then pushed the stirrups up and outwards and clamped them fast, such that my legs were drawn up as far as they would go, and spread as wide as they would open, leaving my private parts completely exposed. The four Wardens then stood around the couch, looking down on me: I had never felt so helpless and vulnerable in my life.
"What do you make of this one then?" asked Officer Hardiman.
"Not much of her," said Officer Bradley, the black Warden.
"Looks like a puff of wind would blow her away," said Officer Clark
Officer Dawes walked behind me: suddenly I felt my nipples being grabbed and my breasts being shaken from side to side: I grimaced in pain.
"Not much up top either," said Officer Dawes, whose bosom seemed to be stretching her black uniform jacket to bursting point.
Officer Hardiman then gave me a hard, malicious grin.
"Right," she said. "Officer Dawes and I are going to give you what they call an Intimate Body Search. As part of their training Officers Bradley and Clark will observe the process. Start by opening your mouth."
I opened my mouth nervously. Hardiman pulled on a latex glove -- then pushed her middle finger into my mouth and began to run it along, behind my teeth front and back and upper and lower, then between my teeth and my gums. There was something utterly horrible about it, intimate and hostile at the same time, as she lingered, easing out my gums, working behind my teeth, pushing out my cheeks. I wanted to scream at her to stop, I felt violated in a sick, creepy way. Finally she pulled my lips forward, ran her finger along, and withdrew it. Instantly I pushed my tongue around my mouth, trying to wipe out the feel of her.
"Nothing there," Hardiman said. "Hair next."
She took off the latex glove, and began to run her fingers through my hair, twisting my head from one side to the other, pulling my ears forward to examine behind them, then wriggling her little finger right inside my ear. Again it was appalling, having my person violated in this way, and being completely unable to resist.
"All clear," said Hardiman. Then she stood back, looking down at me: the malicious grin was back on her face.
"Now comes the part we like best," she said. "Isn't that so girls?"
"It's what makes the job so worthwhile," replied Dawes.
I braced myself. I knew what was coming. Just endure it, I told myself: just get through it. Then I was being shouted at again, this time by Dawes.
"What the hell do you call that?" she was saying.
I tried to look where she was looking, though it was difficult to raise my head far. She seemed to be staring between my legs. I said nothing. Suddenly she grabbed a handful of my pubic hair and yanked upwards, so hard I was lifted clean off the couch.
I screamed.
"I said "What Do You Call That?" demanded Dawes. "When I ask you a question you reply. Understand?" She yanked my bush even harder, lifting my bottom ever further into the air.
"Ow, let go, you're hurting me," I yelled. "It's my pubic hair. My pubic hair!"
"My pubic hair WHAT?" shouted Dawes.