Prisoner rape – and the failure of the government to address it – constitutes one of the most egregious human rights violations in the U.S. today. All of Stop Prisoner Rape’s work takes place within the framework of international human rights law and norms. The sexual assault of prisoners, whether perpetrated by corrections officials or by inmates with the acquiescence of corrections staff, is a crime and is recognized internationally as a form of torture.
Our Mission
A national 501(c)(3) human rights organization, SPR works to put an end to sexual violence against men, women, and youth in all forms of detention. To achieve this goal, SPR seeks to: engender policies that ensure government accountability for prisoner rape; change ill-informed and flippant public attitudes toward sexual assault behind bars; and promote access to resources for survivors of this type of violence.
More than a quarter century after its inception, SPR remains the only organization in the country dedicated exclusively to the elimination of prisoner rape.
Accountability
Although rape behind bars violates international, federal,
and state laws, many institutions remain indifferent to the
problem. Simple prevention measures are rarely taken, and
reports of rape are often ignored. In the worst facilities,
victims are repeatedly denied help and even retaliated against
while perpetrators act with impunity.
SPR pushes for sound laws and policies that hold detention
officials accountable for maintaining safe facilities and
respecting basic human rights. By bringing together lawmakers,
activists, survivors, and their loved ones, SPR sparks local
reform and nationwide change.
Attitudes
Far too many people react to the discussion of prisoner
rape with a set of ideas that is inaccurate and unexamined.
Some believe that inmates deserve to be raped. Others think
that prisoner rape somehow deters crime, or that prisoner
rape is irrelevant to their lives, because it happens behind
bars. Some even think that prisoner rape is funny.
Each of these ideas is incorrect - dangerously so, but these
misconceptions thrive because the public knows very little
about the real story. To combat this problem, SPR offers first-hand
accounts of abuse from survivors and informed analysis on
the issue's impact on the community. In high-profile media
outlets that span the social and political spectrum, SPR is
bringing the true face of prisoner rape to light.
Access
All victims of rape suffer in mind, body, and spirit. Unfortunately,
few resources exist to help survivors of prisoner rape, who
remain a marginalized, drastically underserved population.
As the only organization devoted to this issue, survivors
and their loved ones frequently turn to SPR for access to
vital information and resources.
SPR's resource materials, written by experts and survivors
themselves, help to end the isolation that can be so devastating
in the aftermath of abuse. For SPR, promoting access means
not only linking survivors to existing mental health and legal
services, but also reaching out to encourage providers to
serve this neglected population.
Please join in SPR's fight to support safety, dignity,
and human rights for all.
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