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These portraits were taken by photographer James Stenson, to document the dignity and courage of survivors across the country who have refused to be silenced by the sexual abuse they endured while incarcerated.
Anonymous, Texas
This transgender woman housed in a men's prison in Texas has been repeatedly sexually abused, extorted, and forced into sexual slavery by prison gangs. Officers have denied her repeated requests to be transferred to protective custody housing.
Bamby, California
A Latina transgender woman, Bamby was sexually assaulted at the age of 18, by another inmate at the Los Angeles County Jail.
Barrilee, Oregon
Overcrowding in Oregon prisons led to the corrections department transferring Barrilee and more than 70 other female prisoners to a private prison in Arizona where sexual abuse by officers was rampant.
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.
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.
Ivory, Texas
While working as a porter at a Texas state prison, Ivory was repeatedly sexually assaulted by a female corrections officer. He attempted to report the abuse, but was told that there was nothing that could be done since she was an officer and he was an inmate.
Kimberly, Kentucky
After she was repeatedly raped by an officer in a federal detention center, Kimberly learned that the same man had assaulted a number of other women. The Bureau of Prisons had been notified about the officer’s behavior, but failed to do anything - until Kimberly spoke out and demanded justice.
Linda, Texas
Linda’s 17-year old son, Rodney Hulin, killed himself after being continuously raped and abused in Texas prisons.
Nicole, California
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.
Peter, North Carolina
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.
Scott, Colorado
Despite Scott’s repeated complaints about sexual abuse, staff at a Colorado state prison did nothing to help him. While some officials blamed his sexual orientation for assaults, even those who were not hostile did not know what to do about his reports, Scott says, allowing the abuse to continue.
Tabitha, New York
Tabitha is a transgender woman who has been sexually assaulted by fellow prisoners at several men’s prisons throughout New York State. She has never gotten a response for reporting the abuse, and was even raped once while trying to file a grievance.
Tom, California
While incarcerated in Texas after involvement in political activities, Tom was brutally raped and beaten by inmates at the behest of corrections officers.