#SurvivedAndPunished #WhereDoWeGo
These are survivors of domestic and/or sexual violence whose survival actions have been criminalized. Some are still in prison, some are confined to their homes, some are languishing in immigration detention, and some live with the threat of incarceration or deportation at any moment. Some did not make it out of prison alive. The risk of criminalization is particularly high for Black women. Below are snapshots of just a few stories that have received press or activist attention.
WE DEMAND THEIR IMMEDIATE FREEDOM.
Visit UPDATES for news about events, case & campaign updates, and calls to action.
* Solidarity with Bresha Meadows *
WE DEMAND THEIR IMMEDIATE FREEDOM.
Visit UPDATES for news about events, case & campaign updates, and calls to action.
* Solidarity with Bresha Meadows *
MARISSA ALEXANDER
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NAOMI FREEMAN
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TEWKUNZI GREEN
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TONDALO HALL
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Naomi Freeman, a Black mother of two in Chicago, was brutally assaulted by an abusive partner while pregnant and in front of witnesses. In self-defense, she hit her abuser with a minivan, which ended his life, and she is being prosecuted for murder. She says, "I never meant to hurt him that day, I only acted in fear for my life. I have to forgive myself, but not for surviving, and I don't think I should be punished for defending my life. I have to get home to my kids as soon as I can and be the best mother I can be. I need a second chance at life for them and for myself." Naomi's family and a coalition of Chicago organizations are raised money for her bond and organizing for her freedom. She was released on bond on December 23, 2015.
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Tewkunzi Green was holding her infant son when she was attacked by her child's father. He backed her up against the kitchen sink and choked her. Tewkunzi grabbed a knife and stabbed him once in the chest and he eventually died. She was prosecuted and sentenced to 34 years in prison.
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Tondalo Hall, a 30-year old mother from Oklahoma, is serving a 30 year sentence–15 times that of the man who abused her and her children–for “failing to protect” her children from his abuse. Tondalo applied for a commutation of her sentence but was denied by the Oklahoma parole board. More about her case here. Ultraviolet and the Monument Quilt have action steps.
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NICOLL HERNANDEZ- POLANCO
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NAN-HUI JO
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RALKINA JONES
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Nicoll Hernandez-Polanco is a transgender woman from Guatemala who was detained in the all-male wing of ICE’s Florence Service Processing Detention facility in Florence, Arizona. Nicoll came to the United States seeking asylum in October 2014 because she was the target of violent attacks, constant harassment, and discrimination in her country of origin. However, while in ICE custody, she faced sexual harassment, abuse and threats from both the detention center guards and from fellow detained migrants. She was also placed in solitary confinement in retaliation for advocating for herself. Mariposas Sin Fronteras organized for Nicoll's freedom, and she has since been released.
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Nan-Hui Jo (조난희) is a loving single mother, undocumented Korean, and survivor of domestic violence. After fleeing to Korea with her child to escape her abusive partner, she was charged with child abduction and found guilty. Upon her release from county jail, she was immediately taken into Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody. She spent 3 more months in immigration detention, and was released on July 17, 2015. She was not allowed any contact with her daughter for nearly the entire duration of her incarceration. Though she is now out of detention, she is still facing deportation, which could result in permanent separation from her daughter. Stand With Nan-Hui is organizing for her full freedom.
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Ralkina Jones is a Cleveland mother who was arrested on a Friday night following an altercation with her ex-husband. She told the jail guards, "I don't want to die in your cell." Although her family visited her in a Cleveland Heights jail the next day and attested to her good health at the time, she was found dead in her cell Sunday morning. Officials have admitted that her medical needs -- which were in part due to injuries stemming from domestic violence -- required medication that she was not given properly while behind bars, causing her to lose her life.
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PARIS KNOX
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ARLENA LINDLEY
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CHRISTINA LOPEZ
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Paris Knox was indicted for the stabbing death of Malteeny Taylor, her boyfriend and the father of their baby son. Evidence at trial showed that Paris was repeatedly attacked by Malteeny Taylor. The jury was instructed on self-defense and second-degree murder for provocation and unreasonable self-defense, but she was ultimately convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to 40 years' imprisonment. She is attempting to appeal the decision.
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Arlena Lindley and her toddler child were brutally abused by her boyfriend, Alonzo Turner, for months. She tried to escape with her son, but her boyfriend took the child, locked Arlena out of the home, and murdered the child. Alonzo Turner pled guilty to murder and is serving a life sentence. Arlena was also prosecuted and got 45 years under Texas’ injury to a child by omission law. On January 28, 2016, Arlena was granted parole after serving 9 years in prison.
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Christina Lopez is a 35 year old transgender woman who has been in immigration detention for a year and a half. She needs medical attention for Hepatitis C, which so far the detention center has refused to provide despite several requests. Christina's migration was an attempt to escape harsh violence against transgender people in Peru. However, upon coming to the U.S. she had little support or resources and became involved in an abusive relationship which included physical violence. Om LGBTQ and immigrant rights organizations under the #Not1More campaign, including Familia QTLM, GetEQUAL, the Transgender Law Center.
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EISHA LOVE
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ROSA MARTINEZ
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CECE MCDONALD
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22-year-old transgender black woman, Eisha Love, along with another young trans* woman, Donta "Tiffany" Gooden, 19, were subjected to a verbal and physical assault by two men at a gas station. The men chased Love who attempted to drive away, when she lost control of the car and hit one of the pursuers. Eisha was arrested and indicted on a charge of "attempted first degree murder" with "intent to kill." She was in prison for three years without a trial. Gooden was killed later in retaliation by people who were under the impression that she was Eisha. Her case is unsolved and uninvestigated. Eisha's supporters organized around her case and circulated a petition demanding her freedom. On December 17, 2015, Eisha was finally released and is fundraising for resources to get back on her feet. DONATE HERE.
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Rosa Martinez is a survivor of domestic violence and the Los Angeles Police Department has certified that she is eligible for protection from deportation. However, ICE wants to deport her based on a felony conviction of burglary from 2006. This same charge is now a misdemeanor in California due to Prop 47. After serving her sentence, Rosa reunited with her children. The Immigrant Youth Coalition and RAIZ are organizing for her freedom.
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CeCe McDonald is a black trans woman activist who survived a violent and transphobic attack by a group of white people. One of the attackers smashed her glass into CeCe’s face, puncturing her cheek all the way through. A fight ensued, during which one of the attackers was fatally stabbed. CeCe was the only person arrested and she was charged with second degree murder. She plead to a lesser charge and was released after spending almost two years behind bars. More about her case here, and learn more about her upcoming documentary, FREE CECE!.
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BRESHA MEADOWS
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ANNA NEPOMUCENO
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THE NEW JERSEY 4
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Bresha Meadows is a 14-year-old girl who is facing murder charges for shooting her father. Her attorney reports that Bresha faced years of abuse at the hands of her father, and she witnessed her mother being abused. Bresha allegedly used her father’s gun to shoot him, the same gun that family members say the father used to threaten, intimidate and terrify everyone in the home. People are organizing for Bresha's freedom. Donate to Bresha's family HERE.
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Anna Nepomuceno is a Filipina immigrant and loving mother of two daughters. Upon the horrifying realization that her husband was sexually abusing her daughters, Anna swiftly took action to keep her children safe. Child Protective Services (CPS) began an investigation, and the family court granted permanent restraining orders for Anna and her children. In 2014, Anna went to the Philippines with her daughter and while she was abroad, the Napa County District Attorney’s Office charged her with child abduction despite her having sole custody of her children. When she returned to the U.S., Anna was arrested and jailed because she refused to give her daughter to the man who had sexually abused her. NCDA is aggressively prosecuting Anna and she faces a sentence of 3-13 years as well as the threat of state-sanctioned sexual abuse of her youngest child. Anti-violence organizations are joining Migrante Northern California in solidarity with Anna Nepomuceno and her daughters in their struggle for justice and safety from sexual violence.
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In 2006, a group of seven young Black lesbians were violently attacked in Greenwich Village by a man who shouted threats to sexually assault them, spat on one of the women, got on top of her and choked her. The women defended themselves and managed to get away, but they were stopped by local police and arrested without being told why. All seven women were prosecuted. Four women (Venice Brown, Terrain Dandridge, Patreese Johnson, and Renata Hill) were found guilty, receiving sentences ranging from 3 ½ to 11 years in prison, forever changing the course of their lives. Check out the film documenting their experience, Out in the Night.
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KY PETERSON
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PRECIOUS
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MARCELA RODRIGUEZ
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RAJESHREE ROY
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After finding out that Precious was annulling their marriage, her husband called the police to revoke her probation. Supporters showed their love and solidarity for Precious by being present at her court hearing. Visit the TGI Justice Project for more info.
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Marcela Rodriguez is an undocumented single mother of 3 U.S. citizen children and a survivor of domestic violence. In 2013, she called the police to seek help during a violent incident with her abusive ex-husband, but once the police arrived, they arrested her and and turned her over to immigration enforcement. She was then placed in immigration detention and put into deportation proceedings. While she was detained, her husband kidnapped her two children and fled to Mexico, fearing prosecution and deportation himself. Immigrant Youth Coalition and RAIZ organized for her release, and she is now free, working on reunification with her children.
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Rajeshree Roy, an immigrant from Fiji, is a survivor of long-term childhood sexual abuse and domestic violence who has been incarcerated for nearly half her life. She was first imprisoned as a teenager after being tried as an adult for actions resulting from PTSD. At 16, she was sentenced to 15 years in an adult prison. Upon release, she found a job, got married and had 3 children. Her husband eventually became abusive, so she left the relationship—but without child support or eligibility for public benefits. Rajeshree struggled to make ends meet, and was arrested after shoplifting a garden hose from Wal-Mart. Because of the prior conviction, the District Attorney sought a sentence of twenty-five years to life. She was released from prison after CA voters passed Prop 47, but instead of being freed, she was picked up by ICE to face deportation charges. Asian Law Caucus fought for her release and people petitioned and donated to Rajeshree's bond. Also, undocumented women in detention took part in a historic hunger strike with documented women in criminal custody. In February 2016, Rajeshree Roy was released.
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VENICIA SANTIAGO DE RAMIREZ
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ALISHA WALKER
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