Survivor Stories  

To: Whom it may concern,

My name is Geneva Bell and I am a victim of prison rape! I was sentenced to 7-35 on January 96 for robbery and assault in which I was shoplifting and got into an altercation with one of the workers. I was transported to Maryville and resided their until 1998 in which at the time I was transferred to North East Pre-Release Center in Cleveland. Upon my arrival I was excited and overwhelmed to be closer to home and able to now receive visits from my family and children. I live in Lorraine Ohio therefore it is only a 30 minute drive to visit me. I was unable to have visits in Marysville because of the long distance which was a 4 hour drive. After 2 to 3 months at Pre- release Center, I was approached by an officer their, a sergeant by the name of Johnny Burton. He came on to me and started making sexual passes at me, not knowing what to do and feeling scared and uncomfortable, I kept what he was saying to me to myself. After the passes, came the touching and grabbing. I was given direct orders to come to his office on numerous occasions and on a daily basis.

It had gotten to the point where he would approach me on the yard demanding to see me. After coming to his office upon request the sexual assaults started to take place. I was ordered to perform oral sex on him as well as having sex with him right in his office in unit g. I confided in a friend, Julyette Shopshire, Crystal Mc Kinney and Stacie Woods about what happened and took place in the sergeant's office. After years of going through turmoil and keeping the dark secret, the secret finally came out in 2001 when one of the friends that I had confided in went to the inspector and revealed my deep dark secret. At first I was embarrassed and scared of knowing what this officer would do to me if our secret was revieled.

Upon talking to the Investigator and warden about what had happened, the highway patrol came to speak to me and asked of me to put this into writing. It was agreed upon that if I did so, I would not be punished and sent back to Marysville, but as you can see that was a lie! I had written documents on the days and times that this sergeant assaulted (sexually) as well as the locations. I was placed under investigation for 22 days in solitary confinement, in which I was asked numerous questions. I was taken to the state highway con patrol in June of 2002 I believe I was given 2 lie detector tests in which I was told by the guy who gave the test that I passed with flying colors. All my documents were taken by the state highway patrol and the investigator ( Mr.Patrick) at the Pre Release and was marked as evidence. I was transferred back to Marysville after 22 days in the hole and told me that they had no choice but to send me there because of the accused sergeant's wife (Ms. Burton) who also works at the Pre Release center didn't feel comfortable with me being there. So I was punished by reporting this assault anyways after being told that I wouldn't.

I would also like to state that this kind of assault takes place on a regular basis in Cleveland Pre-release center and the women stay silent only because out of fear of being punished and sent back to Marysville just as I did. After returning to Marysville, I was later taken to Cleveland Justice center where I was asked to testify against this sergeant. I was placed on stand which at the time I was scared to death because I was looking at my accuser right in the eye, as well as the officers that was in the courtroom who had also been accused of sexual assault. I feel that I was not being taken seriously in the courtroom and that all the evidence that was revealed was disregarded all because of a letter that my attorney presented in which a letter that I had written to another inmate (Stacie Woods) simply letting her know of an easier way to return back to Marysville with me, yes she was a girlfriend of mine! But I felt that the letter that was presented shouldn't have stirred the judge away from the known fact and evidence that was presented in front of her.

I had also gone to the point of pointing out a mark/scar that the accuser had by his penis. I was not given a fair trail and won't stop until I do. And give the other females who are being sexually assaulted and too scarred to speak up out of punishment of coming back to Marysville.

Another strong piece of evidence is that I was never given a physical exam once the allegations were made as well as not even examined by a nurse.

Once I came back to Marysville and complained of irritations pertaining to my private parts the doctor and the nurse ere discovered that I had contracted a sexually transmitted disease in which I could have only have gotten by having sex. I had to go through the process of taking numerous pills as well as a shot in my buttocks for this disease. Had the Pre release center examined me they would have known of such a disease and would have known that I had received it from assault by their sergeant! Since the assaults I have been placed on phys meds stemming from the nightmare of this terrible ordeal and I have met the phys doctors on a regular basis. I am writing this in hopes of some one out there helping me put this animal behind bars where he belongs along with the many more that are still yet to be charged.

I would like to thank you for even listening to me and I really hope that you can be of assistance to me.

Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,
Geneva Bell