Human Rights at Home and Abroad: Past, Present, and Future

Even though the exact extent of prisoner-on-prisoner rape remains unknown, the threat of sexual abuse is
a reality of life in prison.
How many victims must die before America steps up and puts an end to sexual abuse in prison?
Sexual abuse in prison has been tolerated long enough. It is shunned within our community but we care
less when it happens to a criminal? We as humans should never celebrate the harm or the death of another
living being. Whether a prisoner dies from disease, abuse, or suicide enough is enough. For the inmates
who take their own lives we can only imagine how hard life must have been if dying was an option. We
can only learn from the stories of the victims that have passed and hope to change things in the future.
Change classification policies so that victims are not easily targeted, change policies so that condoms are
allowed and cleans needles are obtainable (tattoos only). Everyone is protected by the 14 th amendment,
and shall not fall victim to cruel and unusual punishment. Yet, in prisons across the U.S the rate of abuse
in continuously rising. If we begin to protect our inmates from abuse while on the inside, they will not be
as emotionally and mentally drained. We need to rise and take action now, not wait until the shoe is on
the other foot.
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