Camila reads testimony on abuse of a trans woman at Rikers

Good afternoon, my name is Camila.

I'm a paralegal from the Legal Aid Society who works directly with TGNC incarcerated individuals and I'm also a part of the task force.

I'm here to share testimony from a trans woman who was formerly held in DOC custody.

I made a mistake in my life which landed me incarcerated.

At no time did the judge tell me that I would be treated differently, that I would suffer the abuse and torture sustained for merely being myself.

A trans woman housed with males sticking out like a blinking red light.

The abuse, the torture that I sustained was at the hands of the incarcerated males and the officers alike.

My body was brutally raped.

I was sexually assaulted multiple times, groped many times.

I was horrifically threatened, escorted, extorted.

I had on with urine thrown on me and semen thrown into my face.

Called derogatory names daily.

All of this was the norm.

I asked the officer for help.

He told me that you're housed with males.

Deal with it.

They will find you hanging here and they will rule it as suicide.

The trans woman

in the cell next to mine, she couldn't take the abuse any longer, and she took her life.

Intro 134 would have saved me from all this abuse and the torture that my body was placed through.

I am a person.

I am a human being.

We are all collectively constituents here.

We have families, friends, and loved ones.

We deserve safety, respect, and dignity, just the same as any other human being.

I am forever altered by the trauma that I was forced to endure.

We urge the council to extend the task force by passing Intro 133.

And I will add that we can also please add intro 134 to the agenda, please.

Thank you.