Survivor Stories

JDI has made only minor edits for spelling and clarity. Please note that some of these stories are graphic and may be difficult to read.

  • A Latina transgender woman, Bamby was sexually assaulted at the age of 18, by another inmate at the Los Angeles County Jail.

  • Tabitha is a transgender woman who has been sexually assaulted by fellow prisoners at several men’s prisons throughout New York State. She has never gotten a response for reporting the abuse, and was even raped once while trying to file a grievance.

     

  • An openly gay man, Sidney has been repeatedly sexually abused in Texas prisons. He was first raped at the age of 17 while housed in an adult facility. Later, like many other inmates, he was forced to enter into a sexually abusive relationship with a more powerful inmate in exchange for protection from further violence. Sidney continues to suffer from the trauma of the sexual assaults and fears it will happen again.

     

  • While in a Los Angeles jail, Frank suffered persistent harassment by corrections officers for being openly gay. After a particularly intense verbal attack, Frank was beaten and raped by an officer in the middle of the night. He was released a few days later, and filed formal complaints.

  • Like other transgender women in men’s prisons, Ophelia was repeatedly sexual assaulted by inmates and staff. Female corrections officers singled Ophelia out and sexually assaulted her multiple times. She bravely reported these crimes, but Ophelia was never offered any treatment. In her testimony, she describes how this violence has shattered her life.