What portion of all women in prison are self-described lesbians or bisexuals or had sex with women before they were incarcerated?
Correct Answer
Based on a scientific survey of 80,601 inmates, a study published by the American Journal of Public Health in 2017 found that 33.3% of women in prison "identified as lesbian or bisexual, a proportion that is about 8 to 10 times greater than the 3.4% of lesbian or bisexual women in the US population." Another 8.8% "had sex with another woman" before entering prison but did not currently identify as lesbian or bisexual. In total, the study found that 42.1% of all women in prison are self-described lesbians or bisexuals or had sex with women before they were incarcerated. The study also found that 53.7% of all lesbian/bisexual women in prisons and jails had been sexually assaulted as a child.
Documentation2017 Survey