News
After years of dedication to the cause of freeing incarcerated DV survivors, we are thrilled to announce that HB 582, the Georgia Survivor Justice Act, was introduced in the Georgia House by Rep. Stan Gunter last Friday.
You can follow the bill's progress on the Georgia General Assembly website 
here.
On Monday, January 27, 2025, Igniting Hope will participate in "Women Over Dinner." Our partners for this event include the Survivor Justice Initiative, Georgia Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Atlanta Community Support Project, Motherhood Beyond Bars, and Women on the Rise.
This event is designed to bring women together to engage in community with each other, share in rich conversation, and to honor women on the inside. Women over Dinner is actually a nonprofit organization that facilitates these dinners all over the world. On days where a dinner is hosted in a women’s prison, dinners are hosted in solidarity on the Outside. This one will be happening in solidarity with a dinner being hosted at Bedford Hills Correctional Facility in New York state, and with all women on the inside, including here in Georgia.
RSVP for the dinner here.
In partnership with the Georgia Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Georgia Justice Project, Igniting Hope Georgia is proud to announce the launch of the new Survivor Justice Initiative.
We invite everyone to a kickoff webinar being held on January 22, 2025 (info below).
The hotline is there if you need it, 24/7.
The National Domestic Violence Hotline is a tried and true resource. Last year there were a couple of articles circulating just to let folks know that this critical service is still available during the COVID-19 pandemic.
People who experience domestic violence can be especially at risk during the COVID-19 pandemic. Survivors could be forced into quarantine with an abuser. 
- Peter Medlin, Northern Public Radio
CALL, TEXT, CHAT
There are several options available if you need to talk to someone. You can reach the hotline by phone at 800-799-SAFE (7233). You can also get someone via text by texting "START" to 88788. And, finally, you can live chat with someone by visiting the website, thehotline.org.
The federal Prison Rape Elimination Act, or PREA, was intended to protect everyone inside from sexual abuse and harassment. The Department of Justice has responded to this by partnering with the ACLU to produce a toolkit for LGBTQ people.
Image from the ACLU website, via Associated Press
From the Department of Justice, National Institute of Corrections website:
“A prison or jail sentence should never include sexual assault. On May 17, 2012, the Department of Justice released the final federal regulations implementing the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA). These regulations apply to federal, state and local correctional facilities and lock-ups and include key protections for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex (LGBTI) individuals. Despite— or likely because of—the decade-long process leading up to the passage of the final regulations, much confusion remains about how PREA’s protections can be leveraged to protect LGBTI individuals from sexual assault. This four-part toolkit is designed for advocates both in and outside of correctional settings to use PREA’s requirements to end the abuse of LGBTI individuals. As federal, state and local agencies reassess their policies and practices to come into compliance with PREA, there will be key opportunities to make important policy changes that will impact all individuals in confinement settings.” (p. ii). Part One “Advocacy Guide”—sections addressing documenting violations, policy and legislative change, and key LGBTI issues to monitor in custodial settings. Part Two “Overview”—sections covering what PREA is, whether LGBTI individuals are particularly vulnerable in prison, jail and juvenile detention, whether the PREA regulations include protections for LGBTI individuals, and how facilities should protect LGBTI individuals from abuse. Part Three “Know Your Rights” sections explaining what PREA is, PREA regulations apply to all the prisons and jails, how PREA protects LGBTI individuals, and what one can do if the facility holding them is not following PREA. Part Four “Regulations” containing the full text of key LGBTI provisions."
Georgia has a duty to comply.
If you or a loved one believe you may be experiencing violations of PREA standards in a Georgia facility, check out the toolkit.
While PREA violations can be reported to any C.O., staff member, or volunteer, retaliation is real and most people prefer to report anonymously. You can do that by having a third party call the office of the Department of Corrections Statewide PREA Coordinator, Grace Atchison, on your behalf, at 678-322-6066.