Relationships in Prison. Womens relationshipsin prison commonly fulfill an emotional need. They are differentfrom mens sexual relationships in prison in that they are lesslikely to involve coercion or be motivated by power and statusgrabs. In addition to romantic relationships female inmates arealso likely to form prison families with roles that mimic motherssisters and even grandmothers. For many inmates their prisonfamily is the first positive female role modeling they haveencountered.