Service Provider Resources
Underserved Populations
Some incarcerated people are more at risk for abuse than others, are less likely to report abuse, and face greater barriers to reporting. In this section you will find resources on the needs of underserved populations and how to best help them.
As you review these resources on supporting incarcerated and underserved survivors, use this discussion guide to deepen your understanding and spark meaningful conversations with your team.
Native American and other Indigenous people are overrepresented in U.S. prisons and jails, where they often face discrimination and lack access to culturally relevant support. Indigenous people from Central and South America may face additional barriers due to language and cultural differences. Survivors in these facilities require tailored, respectful approaches.
Webinars:
Incarcerated adults who experienced sexual abuse as children often face unique challenges that affect their willingness and ability to seek support. Many struggle with feelings of shame and isolation shaped by the trauma-to-detention pathway. Providing accessible, trauma-informed emotional support is essential to help these survivors recognize and heal from their experiences.
Webinar:
Prison culture in men’s facilities is dominated by hyper-masculine, anti-LGBTQ attitudes among incarcerated people and staff, which encourage perpetrators to target anyone perceived as not living up to stereotypes of dominant male behavior. This makes LGBTI people at high risk of sexual abuse in detention.
Guides:
Webinars:
More than 30 percent of the people in prison and nearly 40 percent of the people in jail have some form of disability. Prisons and jails may lack the accommodations needed to make them accessible to people with disabilities. Many people with disabilities who are incarcerated rely on others for their basic needs, which can make them targets for perpetrators and sexual abuse.
Webinars:
- Providing Services to Incarcerated Survivors with Physical Disabilities
- Providing Rape Crisis Services to Incarcerated Survivors with Mental Illness
- Advocacy for Incarcerated Survivors with Disabilities
- Advocacy for Incarcerated Deaf and Hard of Hearing Survivors
- Advocacy for Incarcerated Survivors with Mental Illness
Guides:
- PREA and Beyond Making Detention Facilities Safe and Accessible for People with Disabilities
- Discussion Guide for Advocating for Survivors with Disabilities
- Discussion Guide for Advocating for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Survivors:
- Discussion Guide for Victim Advocacy for Incarcerated Survivors with Mental Illness
Male survivors of abuse perpetrated by women staff may perceive this abuse as consensual, due in large part to the harmful myth that men cannot be raped. They may experience more shame and reluctance to report this abuse because of entrenched ideas about masculinity. Survivors of abuse perpetuated by women may need extra support in order to name what happened to them as abuse.
Webinars:
The youth detention system holds some of the most marginalized children in society. A significant proportion have a severe learning disability, mental illness, or alcohol or other drug addiction. Additionally, youth of color are highly overrepresented in the juvenile justice system. Once incarcerated, these youth also face poor conditions and a higher risk of physical and sexual violence.
Webinars: