Rights activists are pushing for Italian prisons to create private spaces for inmates and their partners to maintain emotional connections
Asti: So, there’s this big push in Italy for prisons to set up “love rooms” where inmates can spend some quality time with their partners. Rights groups are really advocating for this, especially after a recent court ruling that said a prisoner was denied the right to have sex with his wife.
The group Hands Off Cain is leading the charge, calling these spaces “stanze dell’amore.” They believe that having emotional connections is a basic right. The court agreed, saying that prisoners should have access to their partners unless there are security concerns.
One prisoner, A.S., took his case all the way to the Constitutional Court after being denied conjugal visits. His story highlights how important these connections are, even behind bars. Rita Bernardini, the head of Hands Off Cain, pointed out that other countries like Spain and France already have these rooms, and Italy is lagging behind.
She mentioned that it’s kind of hypocritical for Italy to have such an outdated view on this. The court’s ruling supports conjugal access, but the government hasn’t really acted on it yet, especially with overcrowding issues in prisons.
Irma Conti, who looks out for prisoners’ rights, said they’re thinking about the best way to implement this. One idea is to give inmates permits for short visits outside the prison. But with places like Regina Coeli in Rome being so crowded, just one room wouldn’t cut it.
Despite the overcrowding, Bernardini believes there are about 40 prisons where these love rooms could be set up. She envisions them being cozy, with kitchens and bathrooms, so families can visit in a more home-like setting.
After some serious protests and hunger strikes last year, the Italian government promised to improve conditions in prisons. But some groups feel the changes aren’t enough, especially with so many inmates and a high suicide rate.
