SURVIVOR TESTIMONY

The accounts provided are the first hand testimonials of prisoner rape survivors. The views expressed are those of the individual survivor/author, and not necessarily the views of Just Detention International. Some of these stories are graphic, uncensored accounts of actual rapes and surrounding circumstances. The language used may be raw and include street slang.
  • Alisha, Kentucky
    At the age of 22, Alisha was sent to prison in Kentucky where she was abused for months by a corrections officer. Despite her fears, she reported the abuse, and was raped by two other corrections officers in retaliation for speaking out.
  • Anonymous, Colorado
    A cellmate raped this young gay man. He was detained in a county jail, and he was later gang-raped by a group of prisoners in a Colorado state prison.
  • Bill, Connecticut
    Two inmates raped Bill when he was in a Connecticut jail after being picked up on drug charges.
  • Beverly, Texas
    A female corrections officer regularly groped and verbally harassed Beverly during pat searches at the Crain Unit, a women's prison run by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. After reporting the abuse, she was transferred to a maximum security prison far away from her family.
  • Cecilia, California
    Held in jail for the weekend, Cecilia, a transgender woman, was sexually assaulted in the gay and transgender housing wing.
  • Chance, California
    Arrested during a high school party when he was 18, Chance was beaten and repeatedly raped in an Indiana jail.
  • Christopher, Texas
    Christopher is a prisoner in a Texas state prison who has been sexually assaulted multiple times. He has often been forced to seek protection from one perpetrator in order to avoid further assaults.
  • Chris, Texas
    A cellmate sexually assaulted Chris at a Texas state prison. He now suffers from Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and depression due to the attack, and the prison has denied his requests for mental healthcare.
  • Clifford, Oklahoma
    Seven inmates gang-raped and tortured Clifford while incarcerated at a private prison in Oklahoma. Clifford reported the abuse and has endured relentless retaliation as a result.
  • John, New York
    John was a teenager when he was detained at a county jail for a probation violation, where another inmate attempted to rape him. When he was later incarcerated at a New York state prison, John experienced further sexual abuse.
  • Loretta, Virginia
    While detained at the Rappahannock Regional Jail, a male corrections officer sexually assaulted Loretta over a period of months. She reported the abuse, which led to the officer's conviction on sexual misconduct charges. As a result, staff and inmates have retaliated against Loretta at the Virginia state prison where is now incarcerated.
  • Lori, New York
    A male inmate raped Lori while she was detained at a county jail in New York.
  • Matt, Oklahoma
    A teenager in a private adult prison in Oklahoma, Matt was raped by his cellmate and another prisoner.
  • Patrick, Arizona
    Two inmates raped Patrick in the shower of an Arizona state prison.
  • Policarpio, California
    A member of correctional medical staff sexually abused Policarpio at Kern Valley State Prison in California. The abuse caused him to develop depression and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, but the administration has denied him treatment.
  • Rebecca, Kentucky
    While she was incarcerated at a federal work camp for a non-violent, drug-related conviction, a corrections officer sexually assaulted Rebecca on a weekly basis for eight months. After reporting the assaults, she was transferred to another prison farther away from her family.
  • Richard, Texas
    Richard is incarcerated in Texas, where he has been assaulted repeatedly after being denied the special housing he obviously needs.
  • Robin, Colorado
    Robin was raped by an extradition agent while she was being extradited back to the US. Robin sued the perpetrator's employer, Extraditions International, and the case was settled for an undisclosed amount.
  • Soaring Eagle, Texas
    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.
  • Stephen, New York
    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.
  • Valjean, Indiana
    Valjean Royal is a transgender woman who has survived multiple sexual assaults since she was first detained as a 17-year-old. She has endured sexual abuse in county jails and in state and federal prisons.