Self-Disclosure among

Lesbian Inmates
A Qualitative Study of Self-Disclosure
among Lesbian Inmates of Women’s Prison
in Banten, Indonesia
WELCOME

1st Author
RETNO RYANI KUSUMAWATI
Lecturer of STIE Banten, Indonesia
retno.rk@gmail.com
+62 819 1911 1919
 WELCOME

2nd Author
RETIKA NAJMAMULAT ASIH
Clinical Psychologist of Ministry of Law and Human Rights Indonesia
retikanajma@hotmail.com
+62 816 461 8877
 CONCEPT

Self-Disclosure
How they disclose
Self- themselves in society?

Disclosure
Lesbian How?
How life in prison
Why?
Inmates with homosexual
relationship?

How? Why?
Why inmates choose
being a lesbian?
 OBJECTIVES

Theoretical THANK YOU

Findings
Explanations
6
Research 4
Background 2 Methodology Discussion

3 5
1
 RESEARCH BACKGROUND

Clark, 1995; Leger, 1987; Propper, 1982

“Homosexual relationships are a significant

component of the subculture of women’s
prisons”
 WHAT THEY SAY?

”Shush, don’t you

even dare
talking about
homosexuals!”

“You will never be

”Homosexuals
a lesbian, never!”
are contagious”
 THEORETICAL EXPLANATIONS

Self-Disclosure
is a process of communication by which one
person reveals information about themselves to
another
Emmi & Kokkonen (2007)
SELF-DISCLOSURE DIMENSIONS

01 Breadth
Range of topics to discuss
04 Duration
Length of interaction

02 Depth 05 Valence
If positive, it’ll give warm
The Intimacy Level feelings, happy memories; if
negative, it’ll leave hostile
feelings, fears, and anger

03 Frequency
How often does the
06 Veracity
The Truthfulness
disclosure occurs?

Devito (1986)
 METHODOLOGY

STEP STEP STEP STEP

1 2 3 4
SECONDARY
POPULATION SAMPLE INTERVIEWS DATA
Inmates of 6 women who Ranged 60- Taken from
were most Inmate’s
Women’s 90 minutes, Archives and
Prison in likely to took place Interviews with
Banten engage in on the prison The Chief and
homosexual Officers of
grounds
relationships Women’s Prison
Banten
 METHODOLOGY

An interview guide was used to lead the right

response regarding the general topic of prison life and
focusing more on sexual relationships in prison and
how they disclose their relationships in prison.
Questions were framed to elicit the personal
experiences of the lesbian inmates.
 FINDINGS

This research analyzes the disclosure of lesbian

inmates, but it’s not just the fact of their
disclosure, this research also found the fact
about how they became a lesbian and how
homosexual life in prison.
 FINDINGS

”I feel locked out here and it’s no fun. I see my

friends everyday and I think being with them is
comforting and I like them. I feel safe, comfort,
especially with my girlfriend.”

By being with women most of their time, they

found comfort in some people and that leads
them to have a sexual relationship more than
just friendship.
 FINDINGS

”It’s just a short-term relationship and only to

fulfill sexual needs for another, but I think
curiosity play a big part in it. Since I was
bored, sex is a way to pass the time with
pleasure and emotion.”

Lesbian Relationships are a result of

boredom, as just a way to pass the time.
 FINDINGS

”I feel like I want to be the man that she

needs while she’s down. I want to protect her
from being hurt.”

An inmates also has the desire to protect

others, especially to women who were being
abandoned
 FINDINGS

The statements then followed by her mate as

follows :

“She gave me the protection I need, she

hugged me when I needed to be hugged the
most, she comforts me, and I love her that
way.”
 FINDINGS

Given how taboo being a lesbian in Indonesia

had lead them to cover their relationships to
society. An inmate’s view on the issue is as
follows :

”In our culture, being a lesbian isn’t normal for

people, they think of it as taboo, so I don’t want
anybody to know, they’ll judge me and I don’t
like that.”
 FINDINGS

When asked what the benefits of this type of relationship

were and why would they stay in relationship knowing
how hard it is to cover their identity, two inmates
answered as follows :

“You know, it’s more than just sexual or material things.

It’s more like having a best friend who genuinely care for
you, and I do feel that way too, and I’m giving her more
than just material, I give her emotional support.”
 DISCUSSIONS

• Self-disclosure among Lesbian Inmates are

not easy. Knowing how society often sees
them as a pathological behavior.
• Some of them, the homosexual behavior is
formed after they’ve been put in prison. A
homophobic society may have support this
conditions and this leads to being a lesbian
only situationally.
THANK YOU