Female migrants detained at a UK immigration centre were left too frightened to go outside after male detainees were caught looking into their bedroom windows, according to a damning new watchdog report.
The Chief Inspector of Prisons, Charlie Taylor, has raised serious concerns about conditions at Dungavel Immigration Removal Centre in South Lanarkshire, warning that women are being placed at unnecessary risk because men enjoy far greater freedom of movement around the site.
Inspectors found male detainees peering through women’s bedroom windows and approaching staff to ask why they were not allowed to “mix with female detainees”.
The report also revealed that, at the time of the inspection, the centre was housing a man assessed as posing a risk of harm to women, while another detainee facing impending prosecutions for sexual offences had remained at the facility for more than a year before leaving shortly before inspectors arrived.
The findings paint a troubling picture for female detainees.
According to the report, 43 per cent of women said they felt unsafe in outdoor areas because of the presence of male detainees.
One woman told inspectors: “We can(not) go outside because of the males and our time to do things are quick because of them.”
While men were able to move around the centre freely, women often required staff escorts to access outdoor areas or move around the site safely.
The concerns are not new.
Mr Taylor first warned about conditions at Dungavel in 2021, when female detainees were forced to mix with men who had histories of sexual violence because of Covid restrictions.
His latest report concludes that many of the underlying problems remain unresolved.
The review also uncovered wider concerns about the treatment of women held in immigration detention across the country.
Inspectors criticised the practice of transferring female detainees long distances late at night, including women who were pregnant, physically unwell or considered at risk of self-harm or suicide.
The report said some transfers were carried out with “little regard for their health or the appropriateness of the transfer”.
It warned that such journeys could worsen existing medical conditions and inflict significant psychological distress.
One detainee described the experience as “psychological torture”.
Inspectors also highlighted what they described as “concerning practices” surrounding the use of restraints, including the handcuffing of a pregnant woman.
Mr Taylor said women make up a much smaller proportion of the UK’s immigration detention population, but argued their needs are still too often overlooked.
“Far fewer women than men are held in immigration detention in the UK and, as a result, their experiences are still largely shaped by policies designed for men,” he said.
“This report outlines where current processes fall short for women, but also what is working well.
“In the facilities we visited for this review, we found compassionate and committed staff working hard to support a complex population.
“We hope our findings will help the Home Office and its contractors continue to improve the support for these very vulnerable detainees.”
According to Home Office figures, 119 women were being held in immigration removal centres and residential short-term holding facilities across the UK as of December 2025.
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