For people who ask "what about the rapists?" during abolition conversations:

I'm ADD so I read a lot of different theories on trauma, sexual assault, and recovery.

I believe a rape-free world is possible. My ultimate goal is support what'll create it.

During my reading on trauma, I realized why supporting abolition is necessary for that to happen.

Let's say a rapist is convicted and sentenced to prison. He is likely to be sexually assaulted while incarcerated. Or maybe he'll commit again.

Automatically, the system increases the occurrence of rape, doesn't rehabilitate the rapist, and traumatizes him.

If he has a partner & kids you may say "great! Now he can't hurt them!"

Except family separation is a trauma. Witnessing his arrest is potential trauma.

And there's no official support for a rapist's family dealing with the traumas of it all.

The partner is suddenly a single parent, which means a new set of vulnerabilities to exploration as they rush to replace losing a second income stream.

Maybe now she's vulnerable to sexual harassment and threats from her landlord.

Then with the children, they are also often exploited because abusers will target kids with absent parents.

If a single parent is working to keep them housed, there's already increased vulnerability there.

If the rapist comes back home after incarceration, they have returned after being tested less than human for an extended period of time, likely with no access proper culturally competent trauma therapy, PLUS the stigma of being formerly incarcerated.

Police are one node of a web of trauma that feels into the cycle of violence. They do not prevent it.

Instead, there's more trauma, vulnerability, and opportunities to be exploited.

And the rapist literally hasn't learned anything to make them better.

So if I ultimately want to END rape completely, instead of just relegating rape to one piece of society...the current system is completely inadequate.

Most rapists are never held accountable. We have professions that make rape a lot easier to commit. Many know they can become police, a fraternity member, or a prized professor to harm with impunity.

The system is already failing us.

The people who are most often raped are the least likely to report.

Black women often don't report because most rape is intraracial. We're less likely to seek or receive help. Juries are less likely to convict. Police target us for rape.

If rape victims are the reason why you oppose defunding the police, then you are definitely NOT thinking of Black victims.

Nor are you considering the additional waves of trauma and violence caused by the legal system's treatment of rape.

Before bringing up rape victims during abolition convos consider this:

do you ever think about helping rape victims yourself? Have you ever spoken to a survivor friend about what they want? Do you call out rape jokes?

Or do you only use us as a rhetorical device to disagree?

Check out #BeenRapedNeverReported if you don't personally know any rape victims.

Then consider why none of the rape victims in your life are comfortable telling you they're one.