Survivor Stories
-
Johanna, California
Johanna, California
Johanna was raped by her work supervisor while serving time at a California state prison. After reporting her rapist, Johanna faced severe retaliation, and was eventually transferred to a prison in Nevada. A member of JDI’s Survivor Council, Johanna is a leading advocate in the fight to ensure the safety of incarcerated people.
Read more -
Trish, Oklahoma
Trish, Oklahoma
Trish is a transgender woman who has been sexually abused repeatedly during her 30 years of being incarcerated in men’s prisons in Oklahoma.
Read more -
Kristal, Connecticut
Kristal, Connecticut
Kristal was sexually assaulted in a holding cell by a marshal tasked with transporting her to court.
Read more -
Alairis, Louisiana
Alairis, Louisiana
Alairis was sexually assaulted repeatedly by her work supervisor. After she reported the assault, prison officials berated her and transferred her to a new facility, forcing her out of her bachelor’s degree program.
Read more -
Rafael, New York
Rafael, New York
After serving 23 years without incident, Rafael encountered a corrections officer who conducted abusive pat searches on inmates. Despite Rafael’s effort to report the officer, nothing was done.
Read more
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.
-
It started with a call from a California police station. I was ordered to come in to talk to a detective. When I arrived, an officer put me in a room and told me that a man had made a complaint against me. The officer also told me that he would “get rid of it” if I granted him a “favor.” I said, “Okay,” and he let me go.
-
Laci Marie* is a transgender woman who was first locked up as a child and has experienced years of sexual abuse behind bars.
-
After being raped by two of her room mates at a Texas county jail, Soaring Eagle became a Peer Educator to share her story and to help other prisoners. Her testimony is dedicated to Rodney Hulin, a teenage Texas prisoner who killed himself after being repeatedly raped in an adult prison.
-
A transgender woman serving time in a men’s prison in Oklahoma, Heather* has been regularly subjected to degrading and abusive cross-gender strip searches.
-
Charlie was sexually abused by a female corrections officer at a Georgia state prison. He reported the abuse, and faced retaliation from staff as a result.