Sexual violence marks the lives of so many Black women and girls who are directly impacted by the criminal legal system. Nearly 1 in 5 Black women are survivors of rape, and 41% of Black women experience sexual coercion and other forms of unwanted sexual contact. Of women in jail—44% of whom are Black—86% have experienced sexual violence.

Survivors of gender-based violence deserve supportive services to help them heal from the trauma they have endured, not punishment. And they deserve opportunities to reconnect with family, especially their children. More than 60% of women in prison are mothers. The violence and harm prisons inflict is not limited to the women locked behind the walls. It extends to their families and children, perpetuating the impact of trauma, violence, and incarceration across generations.

NBWJI Executive Director Dr. Sydney McKinney and Donna Hylton, founder and president of a Little Piece of Light, will discuss the connections between trauma, abuse, domestic violence, incarceration, and reentry and the impact on women & families.

Donna Hylton is an activist and author who advocates for the rights and well-being of women and girls who have been impacted by intersectional trauma such as violence, sexual abuse and assault, domestic violence, police brutality, and incarceration. She is an outspoken proponent of the need to incorporate harm reduction into our policies for addressing societal and justice issues within a humane framework.