Survivor Stories
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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.
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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.
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Kristal, Connecticut
Kristal, Connecticut
Kristal was sexually assaulted in a holding cell by a marshal tasked with transporting her to court.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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A high-ranking corrections official sexually abused Jonathan for months at a federal prison in Florida. Jonathan reported the abuse, which led to a full investigation by the FBI and the Office of Inspector General.
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Known to some as Clouded Running Horses, Peter is a bisexual man who was raped and held hostage at knife point for six hours in his cell by a prisoner at Pasquotank Correctional Institution, a state prison in North Carolina. Peter reported the abuse to officials, but the perpetrator was never disciplined.
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Investigations went nowhere for Nicole, who was raped by two different staff members at a California prison. Instead, she was transferred and told to keep quiet — until she was later moved to a new facility where she is finally getting proper counseling and support.