Women, Gender, Security, Psychiatry

The debate about secure psychiatric provision for women has focussed on the twin issues of security and mixed or single‐sex environments. New initiatives are now developing within the private sector which expand the range and diversity of psychiatric provision dedicated to meeting women's needs. This creates a long overdue impetus to drive policy, practice and research. An example of an empowering approach within a single‐sex unit is briefly discussed; such developments call for a new debate about evaluating effective intervention.