Virginia suspends tampon ban for prison visitors ahead of a 'more thorough review'

  • Virginia tried to ban prison visitors from wearing tampons or menstrual cups 
  • The ban was a bid to combat contraband from being smuggled into the state jails
  • The DOC said they would offer women pads to use instead of their tampon
  • Secretary of Public and Homeland Security Safety Brian Moran said he had called for the ban to be suspended, but civil rights activists want a full ban 

By Associated Press and Hannah Moore For Dailymail.com

Published: | Updated:

Virginia is suspending a new policy that would have barred women who visit inmates at state prisons from wearing tampons or a menstrual cup.

Secretary of Public and Homeland Security Safety Brian Moran said he has ordered an 'immediate suspension until further review.'

State prison officials recently announced they were set to implement the policy next month as a way to prevent contraband from being smuggled into prisons.

Department of Corrections spokeswoman Lisa Kinney previously said the agency planned to offer pads to women who were wearing tampons or using a cup while visiting a prison.

Visitors to Virginia's state prisons were set to face a ban on wearing tampons or menstrual cups into the facility

Visitors to Virginia's state prisons were set to face a ban on wearing tampons or menstrual cups into the facility

Inmate advocates sharply criticized the policy, saying it violates the privacy rights of female visitors.

Executive Director of the American Civil Liberties Union Virginia, Claire Gastanaga, called for the policy to be 'rescinded permanently'.

'Helping people who are housed in jail or prison stay connected to friends, families, and communities is critical to rehabilitation and eventual, successful re-entry to society,' she wrote on Twitter. 

'Any policy that discourages visitors is, therefore, one that should be subject to the most exacting and careful review.'

The ban was due to come into effect  next week, but Secretary of Public and Homeland Security Safety Brian Moran said he has suspended the policy after public outcry

The ban was due to come into effect  next week, but Secretary of Public and Homeland Security Safety Brian Moran said he has suspended the policy after public outcry

Moran says he understands the concerns about contraband but adds a more 'thorough review' of the tampon ban is needed.

'Having been recently informed of a recent Virginia Department of Corrections (DOC) visitation policy, I have ordered its immediate suspension until further review,' he said. 

'I understand DOC's precautionary steps to detect the rising threat of contraband, overdoses and even deaths among our offender population. A number of concerns have been raised about the new procedure.

'Though the policy has not taken effect and is scheduled for October 6, I feel it appropriate to immediately suspend the newly developed policy until a more thorough review of its implementation and potential consequences are considered.' 

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