Survivor Stories

I am a male to female pre-op trans woman who is incarcerated in Arizona.

In 2015, I was placed in special unit to ensure my protection, because I was repeatedly victimized in the general population. My pre-op transgender status is obvious to anyone who looks at me. I have breasts and am very feminine, both in my appearance and mannerisms. Because of this, throughout my time in prison, I have been repeatedly sexually assaulted, physically assaulted, and extorted for sex — by both inmates and corrections staff. When I report the abuse, I am the one who is punished.

Shortly after being placed in a protective unit, an officer brought an inmate to my cell to be housed with me. This inmate and I were not supposed to be housed together. He had a “Do Not House” order due to unwanted sexual advances he had made toward me. I explained this to the officer, as well as the fact that I had been placed in this unit for my own protection after repeated victimization. The officer told me that he did not care, that I could not pick and choose whom I cell with. I asked the officer to call a supervisor; he refused. So I was forced to be cellmates with an inmate who was a danger to me.

After the corrections officer left, the inmate beat and raped me. He told me that if I said anything, he would kill me. This inmate sexually assaulted me repeatedly over three days. I finally wrote an inmate letter to my corrections officer, telling her I was being raped. But she never did anything to help me.

After two more days of repeated sexual abuse, I was so scared and sick to my stomach and in so much pain that I couldn’t take it anymore. I wanted to die. I told an officer I was suicidal so I could safely get out of the cell. After the officer removed me from the cell, I told him that I was being raped.

Eventually, I was moved into a Super Max unit and locked down 24/7— even though I was the one who had been abused. Where is the logic in all of this? After I was raped, I asked for criminal charges to be brought against the inmate who attacked me. To my knowledge, no charges have been pursued, even though when the rape kit was done, I had semen and blood dripping out of me.

I don’t know how my story can help anyone, but if it can, I’m glad.