NORTHAMPTON, Mass. — A new report from the Prison Policy Initiative finds that incarcerated women across the U.S. are routinely punished for menstruating under prison rules that fail to account for basic biological needs. Authors Miriam Vishniac and Emily Widra examined policies in all 50 states and uncovered patterns of discipline and deprivation tied directly to menstruation.
Vishniac, founder of the Prison Flow Project, gathered firsthand accounts from incarcerated women describing how difficult it is to manage menstruation behind bars, noting that most correctional systems treat periods as rule violations rather than an inevitable bodily function.
While prison rules are often framed as promoting safety or preserving state property, the authors found that “wide-ranging rules and virtually unchallenged powers of corrections officers” create a punitive environment where menstruation can result in punishment.
Vishniac and Widra identified at least six common rule areas used to sanction people who menstruate: property damage, personal hygiene, contraband, movement restrictions, work assignments and accusations of “feigning” illness.
Many prisons enforce strict limits on property deemed state-owned. Damaging, wasting or misusing state property can lead to punishment even when harm is unintentional. The report notes that even “negligently” damaging property — including bleeding on bedding — may result in discipline.
In interviews for the Prison Flow Project, one incarcerated woman, Ann, explained, “If you bleed all over state property they can charge you for destruction of state property” (Vishniac, 2025).
Poor-quality products and limited quantities supplied by prisons often force women to improvise using toilet paper, pillowcases or socks. The report states that this workaround can result in “disciplinary action or sanction, in addition to the punishment of physical discomfort, humiliation and the cost of purchasing more toilet paper from the commissary.”
More than 30 states have rules requiring individuals to maintain personal hygiene, which Vishniac and Widra say are generously interpreted as promoting sanitation. But these rules do not account for irregular bleeding or heavy cycles. Women may be punished for bleeding on clothing or bedding even when no reasonable alternative is provided.
The report cites a New York correctional union that expressed fear of “splashings” if menstrual cups were allowed — a claim the authors say is used to argue against expanding access to menstrual products.
Contraband rules also allow officers broad discretion. The report describes a case where “excess property” meant possession of 30 tampons — fewer than a standard box sold in prison commissaries. Because women are also punished for poor hygiene, the authors write that menstruating people “are placed in a catch-22 position.”
Prisons also prohibit exchanging property, preventing incarcerated women from sharing menstrual supplies even when prison-issued products are insufficient and commissary prices are unaffordable.
Movement restrictions present another barrier. People who menstruate may require more frequent restroom use, yet many facilities strictly limit bathroom, shower and laundry access.
A woman named Evelyn described the consequences. “I had a fibroid on my uterus, so I had a lot of bleeding. But the pads are so cheap and they don’t absorb well. I would go through three of them a night and still bleed through my clothes onto my sheets. It was so embarrassing and shameful, I would get up early and wash myself, my clothes and my sheets, even though this was against the rules. I would get in trouble, but I couldn’t just stay with my clothes and sheets like that. It made me feel less than a human being, let alone a woman. Even though we are in prison, we are still women” (Texas Criminal Justice Coalition, 2018).
The report finds that work assignments and accusations of malingering often intersect. “People can also be disciplined for not meeting job performance and productivity expectations,” the authors write. Medical accommodations require approval, and prisons typically offer no sick leave for menstruation.
An incarcerated woman, J.T., said, “I used to get terrible menstruation cramps! Bad! There was a long time, especially when I first came into the system, that they did not sell ibuprofen. They did not sell it. And you couldn’t have more than six in your possession. So I would dread when I started my period because the pain would go almost all the way down to my knees. And I would have to work out in the heat” (Vishniac, 2025).
The authors highlight the contradictions: “It is unclear how people can access menstrual products while at work because incarcerated people are not able to carry property with them from their housing unit.” As a result, the report states, women must choose which rule to break to meet their basic needs.
“There is no institutional understanding that people need access to these products at all times and in all locations,” the authors write.
While many infractions are labeled “lower-level,” the cumulative effect can lead to significant consequences. Punishments include solitary confinement, fines and restricted access to visitation, programs and phone calls.
At least 20 prison systems include confiscation of menstrual products as a sanction. For women who must “hoard” supplies to prepare for their next cycle, losing them leaves them vulnerable to future violations.
More than 75% of prison systems allow “extra work assignments” as punishment, and more than 20 impose “work without pay” or changes to work placement — a policy the authors note may limit incarcerated people’s ability to purchase menstrual products at all.
Fines are also widespread, and Vishniac and Widra warn that financial penalties “can be devastating … when people have extremely limited access to money … and when paid make mere pennies per hour.”
The report found at least 32 prison systems restrict commissary access as punishment. While some policies exempt personal hygiene items, most do not define whether menstrual products qualify, and only three states explicitly protect access to menstrual products.
“When all basic necessities are dispensed through the commissary, lost access can easily lead to a cycle of rule violations,” the authors state. “The loss of privileges (visitation, phone calls, exercise and recreation) can have a serious impact on people’s lives and wellbeing in prison.”
The report concludes that prison rules nationwide fail to acknowledge menstruation, treating it instead as misconduct. The authors argue that punishing women for a predictable biological function is an egregious human rights failure and that reforms are urgently needed.
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