prison

(This is the "mental health facility," by the way. Even if the sheriff's office hadn't fucked up the paperwork, the attorney's office failed this woman.)  Image: npr.org

Why Was This Rape Victim Imprisoned By A Texas Court For A Month?!?

In what might be the WTF-iest story in the history of WTF, a woman in Texas is suing the state for wrongly imprisoning her for a month, during which time she was subjected to physical and mental abuse at the hands of guards and other prisoners. What was her crime? Being a rape victim who suffered a mental collapse while testifying.

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Taystee sobs, kneeling on the ground, with a CO standing behind her. Image: Netflix.

Orange Is The New Black Is Trauma Porn Written For White People [spoilers]

It’s like the writers and producers sat around and said, “Let’s put all the most f*cked up recent cultural references in one season and be the most forward, innovative, social justice show out there!” It’s literally the exploitation and voyeurism of our pain on a platter for the world to gawk at and consume.

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Over the years... I’ve realized that my father’s sentiments echo those of the judge, the father, and the rapist. Image: Thinkstock.

The Stanford Rape Case, My Father, And Collective Forgiveness

Much has already been said about the way the Stanford swimmer's privilege has insulated him from consequence, about the ever-pervasive victim blaming in public discourse, and about the inadequacy of the criminal justice system. But in so many of these conversations, in our rage against the rape culture machine, we forget the survivors — the most important people in the fight against sexual violence.

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I brought up other instances the other women had shared with me about the double standards we face at the halfway house. Image: Thinkstock.

Letters From The Inside: Life In The Halfway House

Until recently, I had not experienced any adverse issues at the halfway house. I know a few other women that received write-ups for minor things, like talking to the men or getting off the bus at the wrong set. I heard from others about verbal warnings for the same things.

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The first time I had sex for money I met a man at the mall while I was wearing a wire.

Letters From The Inside: The First Time I Had Sex For Money

I was too young then to wear a wire, and the DA, a scary albino man, had me point to an ugly plain doll and tell him what happened.

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Letters from the inside.

Letters From The Inside: Zeitgeist In Alaska

The war on drugs has turned into the war on sex. Prostitution was a part of Alaska before it became a state. Independent minded women came during the gold rush to acquire their share of riches.

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Imprisoned for sex work.

Imprisoned For Sex Trafficking: A Letter From The Inside

Now I wake up every morning in a jail cell. I make my instant coffee and get ready for work. I press on toward the day I can go home and be with my kids. I don’t know when that will be.

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It's time.

A Prisoner Dead: It's Time For Alaska's Correction Reform

I wondered what the difference in treatment would be between a white man accused of assaulting an Alaska Native woman and that same Alaska Native woman accused of nonviolent criminal mischief.

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