1. United States
2. Mich.
3. Letter

Transgender inmates in Georgia's prisons are being sexually harassed, threatened, and abused — and the system meant to protect them is failing. The Prison Rape Elimination Act has been federal law since 2003, but a recent investigation into the Georgia Department of Corrections found that trans inmates who file PREA complaints face retaliation, indefinite isolation in restrictive housing, and zero transparency about outcomes. That is not protection. That is punishment for reporting a crime. One trans inmate, Danielle, filed multiple PREA complaints after being harassed by both inmates and staff. Investigators took no meaningful action, she remained in the same dormitory where the abuse occurred, and officers allegedly told other inmates she had reported. Her mental health deteriorated. Meanwhile, the Trump administration has actively directed facilities to dismantle protections for trans and intersex people, making an already dangerous situation worse. A person's incarceration does not strip them of the right to be safe from sexual violence. Georgia maintains a zero-tolerance policy on paper. That policy needs to mean something in practice. Demand that the Georgia Department of Corrections conduct a full audit of PREA complaint outcomes for LGBTQ inmates, implement real accountability for staff who retaliate against reporters, and restore protections the federal government has tried to erase.