Cruel & Unusual Punishment: Sexual Assault Victim Shares ‘Trauma’ of Prison’s Trans Policies [Ep 5]

As a victim of sexual assault, Evelyn Valiente* is particularly sensitive to the presence of abusive and aggressive men. But under SB132, a California law that opened women’s prisons to male offenders who identify as female, Valiente had no choice but to share her living space with dangerous male predators.

Being forced to live alongside violent, predatory men who trigger her past traumas made rehabilitation and healing feel impossible, she said. Worse, it violates her physical safety. Despite now being on parole, Valiente still fears blackmail and retaliation for speaking out about her experience being incarcerated with biological men. However, she’s sharing her story to be a voice for the women who remain trapped behind bars with men.

In IWF’s new documentary mini-series, Cruel & Unusual Punishment: The Male Takeover of Female Prisons, current and formerly incarcerated women, along with insiders and whistleblowers from the correctional world, are bravely sharing the fallout of policies that allow male offenders—including convicted sex offenders—to declare themselves “women” and be housed with females.

Produced by: Kelsey Bolar & Andrea Mew

Learn more here: https://www.iwf.org/cruelandunusual