Tw sexual assault
Not to be all abolition this abolition that but most people who know me well know that I truly became immersed in this stuff when I became a survivor of sexual violence. I can say confidently that my rape was the worst thing that has ever happened to me.

Before it, I could only think of these things conceptually. I had started to make the connections but didn’t think I could really do anything about it. I also thought “what about rapists, what about murderers?” These are all normal and real feelings.

And yes before I was assaulted of course I knew assault was wrong and life changing but I truly couldn’t conceptualize just how awful it really was. But shortly after I saw an article on twitter about how much sexual violence takes place in “women’s” prisons.

I read more and more, I kept engaging. Eventually I realized that this thing, this awful thing, this thing that was the worst thing that ever happened to me was happening every single day to people who looked like me across the country.

And not only that, we were living in a world where people thought this was okay, where people thought it was worth trusting and investing in, where people were excited by this. And for me I realized that there was no way that I could sit and advocate for the end of assault

and realize that it is so commonplace in prisons and do nothing about it. And from there I learned more and my analysis grew more and expanded more but that truly was my starting point.

So for me, abolition is so deeply and inherently tied to my survivorship. It’s why I was drawn to @survivepunish, it’s why I hold my views, it’s why sometimes I’m mean to people on here lol who seem to laugh at us. Because to me...

when you support the carceral state, when you support prisons, to me you’re telling me that that disgusting and sad and awful feeling is okay for others to feel. And I wouldn’t wish that on anyone. And I wouldn’t wish that SYSTEM on anyone.

And also! Making the realization that prisons do Nothing to end harm and nothing to provide accountability. In fact, they do the complete opposite. And your feelings are not going to change that objective fact for me.

And that may hurt to hear, that may be scary, but that may make you mad, but that is the cold hard truth. There is NO way that you can support accountability and healing and support prisons. There’s literally no way. So sit with that.

Anyways y’all should follow @nonewjails_nyc thx

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