New podcast gives voice to NT women inside Darwin Correctional Centre

A new podcast shares the hardships of being a woman inside the male-dominated Darwin Correctional Centre.

Former Darwin Correctional Centre inmates Rocket and Taise celebrate the launch of Birds Eye View, a new podcast about women who have done time in the facility. The podcast launched on International Womens' Day, March 8, 2020. Picture: Che Chorley

STORIES of the fear, pain and redemption of being a woman in Darwin’s male-dominated prison, can now be heard in a new podcast.

Birds Eye View, developed by StoryProjects, features the stories of women incarcerated in the Darwin Correctional Centre.

Former inmates Rocket and Taise are two of many women who share their tales.

Both have troubled histories with drugs but through dedication, tears and perseverance, they left prison with a burning desire to change their lives.

“I’d been in and out of jail most of my life,” said Rocket.

“I’d been in there for a while before I decided I don’t want this life any more.

“I said I want to be out, I want to be straight, I want to be helping people, I want to be a good role model for my goddaughter … I was sick and tired of being a slave to liquid handcuffs.”

“I had a job, had everything then lost it all,” said Taise.

“Jail was one of the hardest times of my life but I think I needed it, like I needed somewhere that would make me pull my head in.”

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The podcast was recorded over two years, while both women were in jail.

They said watching and listening to their fellow inmates pour their hearts out had been life-changing.

“The podcast made me reflect on my past,” Rocket said.

“Listening to some people’s stories and really hearing them for them, be them, it was really eye-opening and it gave me a different perspective on certain people.

“It made me realise that I wanted to get my message out, that it is possible to turn your life around,” said Taise.

“Knowing that my story, telling my story in front of everyone opened everyone else up to be able to talk about things was really good.”

The pair said they hoped the podcast would change the stigma of women in prison.

“It creates a different impression of people in prison, especially women in prison. At the end of the day, we’ve broken the law, we’re in jail but we’re still people,” said Taise.

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Visit birdseyeviewpodcast.net to hear the podcast.

Originally published as New podcast gives voice to NT women inside Darwin Correctional Centre