When Juanita was released from prison, she battled with the same guilt, shame and stigma that many with criminal records face.
Prior to her conviction, she had a comfortable middle-class upbringing and had worked in the same industry she loved for over a decade.
But that all changed when someone close to Juanita introduced her to ice.
Juanita was later arrested. After serving six months in prison, she was granted permission to undertake home detention.
“I wore boots for 18 months because I had an ankle bracelet,” Juanita told The Feed.
“When I was released, I had no idea what I was going to do from there on.”
Determined to move forward with her life, Juanita asked her parole officer what she needed to do to avoid going back to prison.
Eleni found Juanita a job through the program in only two months. Source: Supplied
The parole officer told Juanita to fill her diary up with constructive tasks and activities - and that was how she met Eleni.
Eleni manages a program for Dress for Success called Success Works, providing career support for women, trans women and non-binary people.
Before her arrest, Juanita worked in the travel industry. But her criminal record meant she was unable to return to her job.
“I sat down with Eleni and she said ‘we can help you’,” Juanita said.
Eleni found Juanita a role that was appropriate for her skills and experience within two months.
“From there, I just thought, I need to have more to do with this program,” Juanita said.
Juanita now works as a peer support coordinator at Success Works alongside Eleni, helping people get back on their feet after they’ve been in prison.
Eleni has lived experience of the prison system herself. After her release, Eleni remembers freezing whenever she heard the sound of keys jangling - a reminder of officers opening the door to her cell.
Now, whenever she’s faced with stigma, she remembers what an officer once told her when she was lining up for antidepressants in prison.
“She said, ‘hey, there's a fine line between blue and green, any one of us can be on this side of the fence’,” Eleni said.
“And I hang on to that every time I'm faced with rumination or a negative comment.”
The stigma of a prison sentence
Eleni said significant barriers exist for those with criminal records, from housing to employment.
“90 per cent of women are incarcerated for less than 12 months. But then they come out with a lifetime of barriers,” she said.
Eleni told The Feed that often people only see a person’s record of offending and they don’t bother to ask why and how the situation occurred.
“We're very quick to label people, and not have an understanding of what they've been through,” she said.
“Not many people bother to look at any life stories that happened before crossing the line or the rehabilitation that you've done.”
Studies show betweenand of incarcerated women have been physically, sexually or emotionally abused as children or adults.
Many people in prison are unemployed or homeless before entering the prison system, according to a 2018 report by the.
Just over half of those surveyed in the institute’s study reported they were unemployed and one-in-three had been homeless in the 30 days prior to being incarcerated.
Juanita believes the barriers brought on by a criminal record often lead people to re-offend.
“I was speaking with one of our clients the other day, who said they're being evicted from their home,” Juanita said.
“She said, ‘I'm at a position where I think I'm going to have to re-offend because I can't afford to move to another home’.”
is a three-year pilot program that is scheduled to end this year. Both Juanita and Eleni hope they can secure the funding needed to ensure the program continues.
When asked about the most rewarding aspect of their work, Juanita and Eleni both became teary.
“To be able to understand these women and advocate for them and help them get back on their feet is just, I can't describe it,” Eleni said.
“We've got to give people the chance they deserve. They've done their time. Let's support them in changing their lives.”
If you or someone you know is impacted by sexual assault or family violence, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or visit www.1800RESPECT.org.au. In an emergency, call 000.
