Join us during Give OUT Day on May 9th!
Victoria has been in prison since she was 18 years old, originally placed with men in general population. After being assaulted, she was moved involuntarily to solitary protective custody, where she was isolated from other prisoners all day. Her only interpersonal contact was made with her correctional officers. The effects of solitary confinement can mean significant mental health problems, but Victoria went through much more than just that. Her correctional officers have repeatedly thrown her down staircases, beat her, and raped her. As she speaks out about this brutality, the violence often only gets worse.
Because of the Prisoner Advisory Committee at the Sylvia Rivera Law Project (SRLP), however, Victoria is given an outlet to speak about the injustices committed against her. Because of PAC, Victoria is able to understand that she is not alone – there are others out there who have similar experiences, and people who want to help. SRLP is continuing to advocate to remove her from her solitary confinement. Without SRLP, she says, she may have committed suicide.
The Sylvia Rivera Law Project works to increase the political voice and visibility of low-income people and people of color who are transgender, intersex, or gender non-conforming. We do this not only by providing free legal services for Victoria and others in similar situations, but also through building community, raising awareness, and advocating on issues relevant to their lives. We use a multi-strategy approach to actualize change at every level of the system: we provide direct legal services to meet immediate survival needs, engage in litigation and policy reform to affect systematic change, and hold workshops, trainings, and community-building events to enact long-term sustainable impact.
For the last ten years, SRLP has mobilized and advocated for many community members who are affected by unjust systems. By providing these services free of charge, SRLP is able to assist people in achieving basic rights that are otherwise not granted to them. Your support allows us to continue moving towards gender liberation for all people, regardless of their racial or economic status. Please give today to provide people like Victoria with the support and services that they deserve and need.
Looking for another fun way to support SRLP? Join us for our 8th Annual Small Works for Big Change fundraiser on May 18!
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