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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Micah was raped and tortured by law enforcement officers in a police lock-up. He faced many challenges trying to report the abuse and was denied follow-up services, such as counseling and medical care. He has since been released from jail and is struggling to rebuild his life while facing the emotional scars of the abuse.
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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.
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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.