Description
Our sixth edition of The View is purely digital and the theme Insane Justice explores why women who are mentally unwell are being incarcerated, instead of given the mental health support they need. From places as far apart as Australia, England and New York’s notorious Rikers Island we go deep into the failings of the carceral estate and look at the reasons why society is failing women, across the globe.
Art is central to the values of The View. We believe art can change the world and can transform women’s lives by expressing emotions that are hard to write about or difficult to express with words for women who have experienced trauma and have been silenced their whole lives. Art helps them to create a new identity as artist, creator, contributor rather than to be known as someone’s victim or society’s criminal.
As well as art by women with lived experience in the justice system and some of our favorite women artists, we look at feminist protest art with the Subversive Stitcher whose appliqued vintage tea towels are inspired by the sampler, made by a Victorian prisoner to petition Queen Victoria for her release. The eccentric and powerful knitted protest banners by Kate Guest whose exhibition in Adelaide runs until 7 May 2022 tell it like it is. We’ll be less activist if you’ll be less shit.
This issue showcases art that depicts the renewed struggles women are facing as the patriarchy becomes more entrenched and finds new ways to oppress women. The extension of the carceral estate is embodied in the foreboding curtailment of our human rights to protest, to gather and to fight for our rights, this is imposed in legislation being implemented across the world. Women are fighting back using art and words, poetry, paint, knitting, even doll’s houses.
There are compelling first person pieces by national icon, Harriet Walter and feminist, First Nation abolitionist Tabitha Lean on why they campaign and what silencing and exiling people is doing to women, in particular.
Trauma has been the buzzword thrown around the justice system for a few years now, but what does a trauma informed environment look like and how can systems meant to terrorise and incite fear and compliance, engender a therapeutic zone where a trauma informed approach can be embedded? The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is the agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that leads public health efforts to advance the behavioural health of the US. SAMHSA’s mission is to reduce the impact of substance abuse and mental illness on America’s communities and they advocate that with appropriate support and intervention, people can overcome traumatic experiences. Is this an example of best practice?
Our long read is on the encroachment of the criminal justice system into mental health services. England’s record of attacking people’s rights by enforcing incarceration or detention, then not providing any support or actual improvement while incarcerated or detained is painful to read. Why is England the frontrunner, increasing the number of people detained and imprisoned and exceeding any other comparable nation?
For all this and more, make sure to buy your copy of Insane Justice, and subscribe for our next edition Summer Love, out in July.
