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‘You may kiss the bride, but you may not open your mouth when you do so’: policies concerning sex, marriage and relationships in English forensic psychiatric facilities

Bartlett, Peter; Mantovani, Nadia; Cratsley, Kelso; Dillon, Claire; Eastman, Nigel

Authors

PETER BARTLETT peter.bartlett@nottingham.ac.uk
Nottingham Healthcare Nhs Trust Professor of Mental Health Law

Nadia Mantovani

Kelso Cratsley

Claire Dillon

Nigel Eastman



Abstract

In 1996, the Royal College of Psychiatrists recommended that all psychiatric facilities in the UK develop policies concerning sexuality and sexual expression for persons contained in those facilities. This paper analyses the prevalence and content of such policies in English forensic psychiatric facilities. While the College recommends an individualised approach to sexual and emotional relationships, most hospitals in fact either prohibit or actively discourage such expression as a matter of policy. The paper considers the advantages and disadvantages of that approach. The paper also considers the legal issues surrounding these policies, and in particular the legal authority for governing the sexual and emotional expression of hospital residents and the relevant human rights implications.

Citation

Bartlett, P., Mantovani, N., Cratsley, K., Dillon, C., & Eastman, N. (2010). ‘You may kiss the bride, but you may not open your mouth when you do so’: policies concerning sex, marriage and relationships in English forensic psychiatric facilities. Liverpool Law Review, 31(2), https://doi.org/10.1007/s10991-010-9078-5

Journal Article Type Article
Publication Date Jan 1, 2010
Deposit Date Feb 18, 2011
Publicly Available Date Mar 29, 2024
Journal Liverpool Law Review
Print ISSN 0144-932X
Electronic ISSN 0144-932X
Publisher Springer Verlag
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 31
Issue 2
DOI https://doi.org/10.1007/s10991-010-9078-5
Keywords Emotional expression
Forensic psychiatry
Governance of psychiatric hospitals
Psychiatric hospitals
Sexual expression and human rights
Sexuality
Public URL https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1012424
Publisher URL http://www.springerlink.com/content/75386570425041x6/

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