We know Marissa Alexander’s name, but there are countless other abuse survivors behind prison walls whose names and stories we do not know. We actually do not know how many women are imprisoned for defending themselves against their abusers. No agency or organization seems to keep track of this information.
Montana NOW is protesting a Montana judge’s decision to sentence a teacher to only 30 days in jail for raping a student. The sentence is so light likely because of the illusion of shared blame promoted in the courtroom, as Judge G. Todd Baugh insisted the victim “appeared older than her chronological age” and “was Read more …
Jamilah King writes for Colorlines: “Radio producer Nick Szuberla had an agenda when he moved from Toldeo, Ohio, to Whitesburgh, Ky. in the late 1990s. He wanted to bring attention to the country’s rapid prison expansion, a tide that was snatching up mos…
Brentin Mock writes for Colorlines: “The sealing of the school-to-prison pipeline in Meridian, Miss. has officially started after a U.S. District Court judge approved what the Department of Justice is calling ‘a landmark consent decree’ that features a ‘…
Justin Moyer reports for The Washington Post: “Almost a decade ago, a petition by the families of inmates tired of paying sky-high rates for prison telephone calls landed at the Federal Communications Commission. Martha Wright-Reed of the District, an 86…
Clarissa Ramon of Public Knowledge writes on Huffington Post: “There are roughly 2.7 million children with one or more parents in the incarceration system in the U.S. today. As a result of this, these children are more likely to experience poverty and un…
Miriam Zoila Pérez writing for Colorline:”Women who are locked up when they give birth often end up delivering at local hospitals, transported by prison guards who ultimately decide when and if a woman will be shackled. During transport, in the vehicle,…
RH Reality Check’s Rachel Roth writes a thoughtful analysis of the Mississippi case of two African American sisters: “The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. devoted his life to the struggle for equality and justice. The Scott sisters’ ordeal stands in star…
Rachel Roth writes for The Nation: “The lack of common sense and compassion with which imprisoned pregnant women are treated is chilling. Three stories illustrate the dangers women face when they cannot get anyone to take their medical needs seriously.”
We must break the cycle of eviction, housing insecurity, and exposure to danger, starting with additional support for shelters and crisis centers for survivors. Housing agencies must prioritize – not stigmatize – because housing justice is gender justice.