human rights

Funds Needed Immediately: Help Save Lakota Sioux Sacred Land!

by Cara August 20, 2012

The Pe’ Sla area of the Black Hills in South Dakota is sacred to the Lakota people, the indigenous inhabitants of that land. As a result of colonization, a non-Native family now privately owns this area and is planning on auctioning it off to the highest bidder. The Lakota people need this land to perform [...]

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Sexual Assault Victim Faces Contempt of Court Charges for Naming Attackers

by Cara July 23, 2012

A 17-year-old sexual assault victim named Savannah Dietrich — who has given permission for her identity to be made public — has been held in contempt of court and faces a potential jail sentence and fine for tweeting the names of her assailants. Dietrich did not make a false allegation, or even an unfounded one; [...]

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Arrested at Hospital for Demanding Medical Care, Woman Dies in Jail Cell

by Cara March 29, 2012

Trigger Warning for medical neglect and abuse, police abuse, and discussions of the child welfare system The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports: Anna Brown wasn’t leaving the emergency room quietly. She yelled from a wheelchair at St. Mary’s Health Center security personnel and Richmond Heights police officers that her legs hurt so badly she couldn’t stand. [...]

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Fund for Troy Davis’ Family

by Cara March 5, 2012

On September 21, 2011, Troy Davis was killed by the state of Georgia for the murder of a white police officer, despite incredible doubts about his guilt and many years of strong efforts to save his life. Hopefully you’re familiar with his story; I was writing about it years ago, and many others never stopped. [...]

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Book Review: The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander

by Cara December 6, 2011

Few find it surprising that Jim Crow arose following the collapse of slavery. The development is described in history books as regrettable but predictable given the virulent racism that gripped the South and the political dynamics of the time. What is remarkable is that hardly anyone seems to imagine that similar political dynamics may have [...]

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Send a Holiday Message to an Incarcerated Survivor of Prison Rape

by Cara December 5, 2011

Currently incarcerated persons are probably already the most isolated individuals in the United States. Those who are not only incarcerated but also the victims of sexual violence while imprisoned face little support, few mental health and recovery services, the ongoing threat of violence, and even retaliation should they speak of the abuse. With their support [...]

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Trans Woman Transferred to Male Prison After Being Raped by Cis Guard

by Cara August 22, 2011

Trigger Warning for discussions of sexual violence, prison violence, anti-trans violence, rape apologism, and transphobia and misgendering. Recently, a woman was allegedly raped orally by a prison guard at Riverside Correctional Facility. She reported the assault to authorities, and an investigation was begun. During that investigation, officials learned that she was not cis, as they [...]

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New Congo Rape Statistics Inspire Competitive Headlines, Not Much Else

by Cara May 12, 2011

A new study about the ongoing rape epidemic in the Congo has some rather terrifying statistics to offer. According to USA Today, 420,000 women are raped in the DRC every year. Or, if you ask the Boston Globe, 1,152 women are raped every day. The Guardian reports that 48 women are raped every hour. And [...]

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Final Public Comment Period for New Standards to Address Prisoner Rape Ends Soon

by Cara March 31, 2011

Last year, I wrote quite a bit about prisoner rape and the failure of the Department of Justice to implement new standards to address the epidemic in a timely fashion. I previously urged you to submit public comments to the Justice Department regarding the implementation of new guidelines. Almost a year has passed, and still [...]

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Louisiana Law Forces Many Sex Workers to Register as Sex Offenders

by Cara March 22, 2011

Trigger Warning for descriptions of sexual violence and abuses against sex workers Last week, Jordan Flaherty wrote an article at Colorlines about how sex workers are being punished under an archaic and punitive law that specifically targets those who are convicted of selling oral or anal sex (as opposed to vaginal sex). The law makes [...]

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