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When someone is locked behind bars, society often stops listening. But trauma doesn’t end at the prison gates. In fact, for many incarcerated individuals — especially women, LGBTQ+ people, and people of color — the prison system itself becomes a continuation of lifelong cycles of abuse.
Just Detention International (JDI) exists to break that cycle. Their mission is clear and unwavering: sexual abuse is never part of the penalty. Whether someone is serving a short sentence or a life term, they retain the right to safety, dignity, and justice.
Founded in 1980, JDI is the only organization in the world dedicated exclusively to ending sexual abuse in detention. It operates with a survivor-centered model, advocating for reforms in prisons, jails, juvenile facilities, and immigration detention centers — places where sexual violence too often occurs in silence, with no access to support or accountability.
Incarcerated Survivors Are Survivors Too
Many people behind bars are not just inmates — they are survivors. Studies show that a disproportionate number of incarcerated individuals have experienced childhood sexual abuse, domestic violence, or trafficking before ever entering the system. Once inside, they’re at even greater risk of re-traumatization.
JDI’s trauma-informed approach acknowledges this reality. They don’t just demand policy change — they work directly with survivors in detention, offering hope, validation, and the tools to reclaim their voices. Through survivor letters, peer support materials, and partnerships with correctional agencies, JDI ensures that those behind bars are not forgotten.
A Civil Rights Issue
Sexual abuse in detention is not only a moral failure — it’s a human rights violation. JDI has played a key role in shaping and supporting the implementation of the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA), the only federal law that addresses sexual assault in confinement. But laws alone aren’t enough. JDI continues to push for oversight, transparency, and accountability in institutions that historically conceal abuse rather than confront it.
The organization also provides training for corrections staff, advocates for stronger protections for trans and gender-nonconforming people in custody, and fights for trauma-informed mental health care for survivors in confinement.
Why Their Work Matters
JDI reminds us that every survivor — no matter where they are — deserves to be treated with dignity. Incarceration does not strip someone of their humanity. Sexual violence behind bars is not inevitable. And survivors, even in the most dehumanizing environments, deserve safety, healing, and justice.
To learn more or support their work, visit https://www.justdetention.org