'Two weeks ago, I spent most of the day writing cards to people I’ve never met—and these messages felt as special as any that I’ve ever written. That’s because they were for some of the most marginalized people in society: incarcerated survivors of rape.'
I wrote these cards as part of campaign called Words of Hope, which is run by Just Detention International. Every year, JDI delivers thousands of Words of Hope holiday greetings to survivors in prisons nationwide.
You might be wondering why I’m so sure that a message from you will make difference to incarcerated survivors. The reason is that I’ve been in their shoes.In 2012, I was raped by a corrections officer while serving time in a Georgia prison. The assaults shattered my sense of self-worth. I felt frightened, ashamed, and alone. It wasn’t just that no one working at the prison cared—it seemed like all of society had turned its back on me.
Today, I know that there are, in fact, many people who feel compassion for survivors. As a member of JDI’s Survivor Council, I’ve seen how this organization has built a large and growing number of supporters behind it—people who believe that rape is not part of the penalty. At the same time, I also know that there are many people out there who care about prisoner rape, but feel powerless to help individual survivors—or just feel overwhelmed by the topic. That’s understandable. This is a difficult subject to think about. It can be extremely triggering—believe me, I know. But as a prisoner rape survivor, I’m telling you that a simple holiday message will do wonders.He’s a fellow member of JDI’s Survivor Council, and is currently incarcerated in Texas.
I love writing holiday cards. There’s something heartwarming about their simplicity; you can pack so much feeling in such a small space. It’s almost magical.
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