Secret Life of Gitmo's Women

Two female Navy veterans pull back the curtain on Guantanamo Bay, where the war on terror meets a military culture rife with harassment and sexual assault.

Illustrations by Lucy Bellwood

Razor wire. Orange jumpsuits. A tiny white cell. These are some of the few images the outside world associates with Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, arguably the world’s most famous prison. Well over 700 detainees from around the world have been held here and we rarely get a glimpse inside. Yet hundreds of Americans know the place intimately. Sarah Mirk spoke with two female veterans who called the base home while the military imprisoned detainees at Guantanamo's Camp X-Ray. Their experiences shed light on how the detention system affects those who serve. While many of us can put places like Guantanamo at the back of our minds, veterans do not have that luxury.

Interviews conducted and compiled by Sarah Mirk. Illustrations by Lucy Bellwood.