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.

  • Stephen was brutally gang-raped after being arrested at a Quaker pray-in at the White House. He contracted HIV as a consequence of the rape, and later died from an AIDS-related illness.

     

  • Matthew was raped by his cellmate. After years of suffering alone, Matthew reached out to his local rape crisis center and, with the help of two dedicated victim advocates, is on the path to healing.

  • Joe is an openly gay man living with HIV. While at a California state prison, he was raped at knifepoint multiple times by his cellmate.

  • Bryson was raped by at least 27 inmates over the course of nine months during his incarceration at an Arkansas state prison. Bryson, who contracted HIV as a result of the attacks, passed away in 2010.

  • James was raped twice in two days by a prisoner in a Massachusetts jail. The assaults left him feeling devastated, and triggered deeply painful feelings related to his childhood abuse.