“Incarcerated women matter.” That’s the message in all-caps on trucks driving through California cities.
The ads are part of my work as founder of WomanIIWoman, an organization rehabilitating and supporting incarcerated women. And in partnership with Women Are Real, we are speaking up for the silenced women in California prisons.
“Women in California prisons raped by male inmate,” the message continues. “Will media cover the trial?”
Two women have been reportedly raped by Tremaine Carroll, a trans-identified male inmate, and another has reportedly been impregnated by him. Carroll has since been transferred to Salinas Valley State Prison, a men’s facility.
I heard the horror story of the first alleged assault from one of my sisters on the inside. The second alleged assault happened only 24 hours later.
Carroll is serving a multi-decade sentence after being charged with several violent crimes, including sexual assault, and pleading guilty to kidnapping. But all it took was his identifying as transgender to be transferred to the world’s second-largest women’s prison, Central California Women’s Facility (CCWF).
In California, SB 132 allows inmates to be housed according to their self-identification, regardless of their sex or criminal history. There is no requirement for transfers to have undergone sex-rejecting procedures or even to present as the opposite sex.
When I was incarcerated in CCWF, each cell housed eight inmates. We lived with no privacy in these confined spaces, and our sisterhood was all that held us together many days. Many of these women are already victims of sexual or domestic abuse, and Carroll’s presence is their worst fear come to life.
When I heard what was happening to my sisters, I notified the warden, emailed state Sen. Scott Wiener’s office, and called Wiener’s local and capitol offices. I told one of his staffers that I could not handle getting another call about another rape. But the silence from his office is deafening, as is the silence from our governor. California Gov. Gavin Newsom has even punished inmates who speak out by overlooking their applications for commutations and pardons.
This is why we launched the truck advertisement campaign.
The truck has stopped people in the streets as they read the ad. I’ve seen them silently recite the truck’s words and ask, “But how?”
People I speak to cannot believe what is happening. Popular shows like Orange is the New Black have led many Americans to think that trans-identifying individuals are delicate people simply in need of hormonal or surgical intervention. The reality is far from this.
Right now, Carroll is on trial for his alleged crimes against CCWF women, but the Department of Corrections (DOC) has not brought him to five previous court dates. The judge has demanded an explanation from the DOC at the next court date.
Meanwhile, Carroll’s victims wait for justice.
To add to the trauma that these women face as they testify against Carroll, a Madera County judge has ordered them to refer to Carroll with female pronouns. Those brave enough to stand against their abuser are being forced to uphold his lies.
And all the while, the media in California refuse to notice the injustice these women are being forced to endure. The trucks’ paths will take our message by major landmarks like the Golden Gate Bridge, government offices like Los Angeles City Hall, and media outlets like the San Francisco Chronicle newsroom. Will anyone else in the Golden State stand with these vulnerable women?
Until now, the message to women in California prisons has been one of hopelessness: there’s nothing you can do, there’s no help coming, and speaking out is dangerous.
The women of CCWF are desperate for any sign of encouragement. Last Friday, one of the trucks arrived at CCWF. Our hope is that staff or an inmate working outside have seen the truck and let the women inside know that they have not been forgotten.
Even if the media will not stand with them, even when the courts try to silence them, I will never stop speaking up for my sisters. Women’s safety is not negotiable, and dignity is their right.
