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What about rape?!" That's the kind of question that's thrown around when people make arguments against abolishing the police. But as survivors of sexual assault who believe in ending the carceral system, we fear our stories will be used to promote police power and state violence. We have seen police, civilians, and elected officials—including Donald Trump—use survivors like us in a last-ditch effort to make communities believe police are needed.
Victims of sexual assault are told time and again "the right thing" to do is report. But we have repeatedly seen that police fail victims by not making them feel heard, supported, safe, or believed. And that's why we are unequivocally calling for abolishing the police state. The police force in the United States was created to catch runaway slaves and protect white wealth. It was not created to ensure safety for all. To end the cycle of brutality, something new based on principles of justice must be built on the ashes of the police state.
The criminal injustice system often works against survivors. For instance, look at the story of 19-year-old Oluwatoyin "Toyin" Salau, who was found dead on June 15 in Tallahassee, Florida, after being sexually assaulted earlier that month. Salau reported her assault to the police but was dismissed and told more evidence would be needed to investigate. The police failed to operate from a survivor-centered approach, and they failed Salau when they would not move forward with her case, invalidating her experience and putting her safety at risk. Unfortunately, Salau's story is not unique.
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