Italy has opened its first official sex room in a prison in Umbria—granting prisoners the right to intimacy in private. The pilot visit marks a shift toward more humane prison reforms amid rising concerns over overcrowding and mental health.
Italy’s first sex room for inmates became operational on Friday, as a prisoner in the Umbria region received a visit from his female partner in a specially designated space within the prison.
The move follows a landmark constitutional court ruling from January 2024, which recognized inmates’ rights to private, intimate meetings with spouses or long-term partners, free from supervision by prison guards.
Inmate privacy upheld under new guidelines
According to newly issued guidelines from the justice ministry, inmates granted these visits must have access to a private sex room equipped with a bed and a toilet, with a maximum duration of two hours.
“We are happy because everything went smoothly, but it is necessary to maintain the maximum privacy to protect the people involved,” said Giuseppe Caforio, Umbria’s ombudsman for prisoners’ rights, speaking to ANSA news agency.
He added, “We can say that a sort of experiment went well and in the next few days there will be other meetings,” referencing the initial visit at Terni prison.
Already common across Europe
The ruling emphasized that conjugal visits are already permitted in many other European countries, including France, Germany, Spain, the Netherlands, and Sweden.
The justice ministry also clarified that while privacy is a priority, the room’s door should remain unlocked to allow prison staff to intervene if necessary.
Overcrowded prisons, rising concerns
Italy’s prisons are among the most overcrowded in Europe. Official figures show over 62,000 inmates are currently held in facilities built for roughly 51,000, representing more than 21% over capacity. The system has also seen a troubling increase in suicides in recent months.
The implementation of sex rooms is seen not just as a rights-based move, but potentially one to improve inmates’ mental well-being amid difficult conditions.
Related Article:
