Homosexual inmate accused of spreading HIV
A man claiming to be a prisoner in one of Jamaica’s penal institutions says the actions of a fellow homosexual inmate are putting the lives of others at risk.
The man, who called THE STAR this week, said that the homosexual prisoner has been preying on youngsters coming into the facility and that it is likely that he is infecting them with HIV.
“The general population is planning; they are talking that they are going to go back to the days when they are killing homosexuals,” the man said.
He told THE STAR that homosexuals are housed on a specific block within the prison for their safety. He said that he and other homosexual prisoners get the chance to mix with the general population because they have chores within the prison.
“I don’t know what is going to happen. One of these days, I might be out doing my stuff and somebody stabs me, somebody licks me with a stone, just because of this one man,” the inmate said.
The man said the homosexual inmate has been “moving rapidly” in the prison and has been having sex with many men, especially the youngsters who are new to the prison.
“Sometimes him follow them to the bathroom and give them money, and sometimes he will use his influence and threaten them, or he will use argument and say he was having sex with them and they would be put on the block,” the inmate said.
“They need to move him or something because I fear for my life,” he added.
He claims that the problematic inmate befriends warders and gives information to them in exchange for protection and privilege.
While she is unable to confirm the inmate’s story, Maria Carla Gullotta, head of human rights group Stand Up for Jamaica, said that she is aware of the homosexual blocks in at least two of the nation’s penal institutions. However, she said that the homosexuals hardly ever mingle with the general population as a means of protecting themselves.
“They are usually together by themselves, and in terms of access to certain programmes, they are banned. But this is really to protect them. However, what we do is to bring in some programmes for them because education is a basic right. They do go to classes where they have access to notebooks and computers and other programmes,” she said.
THE STAR also reached out to Dexter Thompson, director of corporate communication and public relations at the Department of Correctional Services, for a comment, but he declined to offer one.
Yes and no to this, I only feel it for the wrongfully accused… But other than that most of them are in prison for the same murder it self so I see nothing wrong.