8. Monitoring Risk In Specific Situations Information from prison visitors Visitors may be able to provide good insights into the way searches are carried out and the attitude of staff conducting the searches. They may not only offer feedback about their own experiences of body searches, but may also be able to provide information, without fear of retaliation, about the treatment of detainees/prisoners during searches. • What are their own experiences of search procedures? Are visitors ever subjected to strip and body cavity searches, in addition to pat down/frisk searches? • Have visitors ever felt threatened, degraded, intimidated or humiliated during search procedures? • Do staff conducting the searches treat visitors with respect? Do they use appropriate body and verbal language? • Are there any allegations of staff subjecting visitors to SGBV during body searches? • Do staff clearly explain the search procedure before commencing the search? Are visitors given the opportunity to hand over any hidden items before being searched? • Do visitors feel they can complain about the way a search is conducted if they wanted to? • Have any detainees/prisoners complained to their visitors that they or others have been subjected to abuse during body searches? Focus on specific groups/individuals Certain individuals or groups of detainees/prisoners may be particularly at risk of SGBV during body searches. This might include LGBTI persons, women, children, those with physical or mental healthcare needs, those who have previously experienced SGBV, and members of particular religious groups or from particular cultural backgrounds. For this reason, monitors could also focus their attention on the following areas: • Are male staff ever involved in searching female detainees/prisoners? (including all forms of searches.) • Is there a total prohibition of the use of vaginal searches for pregnant women, young children and juvenile girls? • Are there any specific guidelines in place for searches of LGBTI persons? • How do authorities deal with body searches of transgender and intersex persons? Are they given the choice of being searched by male or female staff member? • How do authorities deal with body searches for those with mental healthcare needs? • Are there any guidelines in place to adjust procedures to take into consideration cultural and religious diversity? 48