Shuvrajit Das Biswas
‘Inside the World’s Toughest Prisons‘ is a Netflix documentary that shows incarceration centers around the world. We learn about these detention facilities from the perspectives of the prisoners, guards, and those interacting with the system. Journalist Raphael Rowe takes us inside some of the world’s most dangerous prisons, and perhaps it is just as well that he has spent some time behind bars too. Rowe’s experiences walking on the wild side landed him in brutal prison life, although he was innocent.
Raphael has spoken about the experience saying that prison brutalizes one psychologically. However, it is not just a mental impact that is visible. The physical effects of imprisonment are quite clear on his face (literally) since Rowe has a visible scar. But, did he get the mark in prison? Or is it from Rowe’s wilder days in his youth?
Theories Behind Raphael Rowe’s Scar:
Since Rowe turned his life around after the wrongful imprisonment, the chances are high that he’s gotten his scar beforehand. The earliest Rowe could have been scarred, is during his wild days. After all, before facing the rap as part of the M25 Three gang, Rowe had previous convictions, including one for malicious wounding. Speaking about those days, Rowe has said, “I’ve done things I regret. I was 18 in 1988, and when you are that age, you are selfish, and you don’t realize the impact of what you are doing. You don’t see the consequences. But murder is not something I could ever do.” Here’s a post from Rowe, where his scar is clearly visible.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CCCGiDVHYZd/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Those who live violently have violence visited upon them. Rowe might just have gotten the scar during this time. However, it is far more likely that Rowe got his injury while behind bars. He’s mentioned being in prison fights several times, and there have been comments that it is from a knife fight. However, Rowe is quite a private person who does not recall his prison memories all too fondly. Perhaps, it is because he’s been left with more than one scar from the time he spent there. You can see Rowe talking about the impact of prison, below. He’s commented that everyday something reminds Rowe of jail.
Lastly, Rowe’s injuries were possibly inflicted on him by the jailers. He was initially incarcerated at HM Prison Wormwood Scrubs, which is a category B men’s prison. However, the center nicknamed as “The Scrubs” has come under heavy investigation since then, for violence against inmates. Rowe’s been vocal about the issue, saying he was attacked and racially abused inside a segregation unit in the jail. He stated that the officers had kicked and punched all over his body. While the prison system initially refuted the claim, they went on to settle the matter outside court.
It should be noted that the brutality of the attack by the guards still does not explain the facial scar. It would have to have been caused by something sharp, in all likelihood, a blade. Therefore, a prison fight involving a knife, or an injury from Rowe’s days of misdemeanors is a more likely scenario. We leave you with a picture of Raphael Rowe, showcasing his resilience, which comes in handy after what life’s thrown at him.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B-u_ELHHkzn/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Read More: Best Netflix Prison Shows
