WOMEN IN PRISON information about the annual assessments of the women’s conditions. The Department’s assessments were that their conditions could still be problematic, but had improved significantly. On 26 October and 5 November 2004, the Parliamentary Ombudsman visited the women’s block again. In his report of 28 January 20053 on the visit, the Ombudsman stated, among other things: ‘During my conversations with several of the female prisoners at the institution, I was thus informed that the female prisoners find it difficult to avoid the attention of the male prisoners and that they are often addressed or accosted in an unsuitable way by the male prisoners – for instance with indecent comments during prison yard exercise and services. Even those of the women who have a boyfriend or husband at the prison (or outside) are not always left in peace. I was also informed that several of the female prisoners do not tell staff when they are accosted by male prisoners – partly because they are afraid of reprisals by the male prisoners. The female prisoners in Block S stated that they have to be constantly on the alert in relation to the male prisoners.’ During the inspection, it was again stated that it was not only the female prisoners who were to some extent affected by the structure – it also affected the male prisoners. Among other things, it was thus (still) a problem in relation to the treatment of some of the male prisoners, as they did not wish to start treatment with sex-drive reducing medication because they were in a relationship with a female prisoner. After further exchanges of letters with the Department of the Prison and Probation Service, the Ombudsman stated in a letter of 15 August 20054 that the offer given to the women to serve their sentences separate from the male prisoners could not be regarded as a genuine offer enabling them to serve their often long sentences in accordance with the Act on the Execution of Sentences. It had turned out that none of the women took up the opportunity to serve their sentences separate from the male prisoners due to the conditions under which they would then have to serve their sentences, for instance in relation to employment, education and leisure offers. The Ombudsman stated that the necessary solution, at least in the longer term, would be the establishment of a completely separate women’s block with separate workshops and leisure facilities. The Ombudsman also asked whether the Department had considered or was prepared to consider obtaining funding to establish a completely separate block for women with adequate employment and leisure offers at or by Herstedvester Prison. 3 Parliamentary Ombudsman Report for 2004, pp. 671-694 (esp. p. 678) 4 Parliamentary Ombudsman Report for 2004, pp. 690-691 51