ACATHI has been leading this project since 2014 with the aim of reducing the isolation, discrimination and invisibility of people deprived of their liberty.
Mental health is one of the greatest challenges within prisons, especially in an environment marked by isolation , vulnerability and lack of support networks. In the case of people from the LGTBI community , this reality is often exacerbated by situations of discrimination, invisibility or rejection , both inside and outside prison.
Faced with this situation, ACATHI is working on a comprehensive support project to offer emotional support, guidance and safe spaces to LGTBI people deprived of their liberty. The organization does this from a comprehensive perspective, with psychosocial and emotional support , advice on rights and connection with external resources. In addition, they also monitor people when they leave the penitentiary, with the aim of accompanying their reintegration processes and avoiding situations of isolation or helplessness.
"When the person leaves, we offer them support so they can settle in and integrate into normal life, helping them find work, training or other resources they may need," explains Lissa Fuentes , an ACATHI technician.
A pioneering project within the penitentiary field
Currently, the organization operates in all prisons in Catalonia. Although it was founded in 2003 , this specific project was not launched until 2014. Since then, the association has supported many people in the community and has become the only Catalan organization that specifically works with this reality within the prison environment.
"It all started when a trans woman who was in prison wrote to several institutions asking for help and no one answered her. We answered that letter and, from there, we saw the real need to accompany these people," Lissa details.
More visibility and resources to guarantee safe spaces
The organization explains that the situation within prisons has evolved positively over the past few years and that there is currently greater awareness of sexual and gender diversity. However, they believe that there is still much work to be done and call for greater involvement from administrations, health services, social organizations and community networks to continue guaranteeing the rights and well-being of LGBTI people deprived of their liberty.
Within this reality, trans people continue to be one of the most vulnerable groups , both inside and outside prisons. “There is a law that protects them and allows them to decide whether they want to be in the men's or women's module, but that doesn't mean that day-to-day life in prison is easy ,” explains the ACATHI technician.
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