New York State Prisons: How to Avoid Rape in Prison - Men's Orientation

In 2015, New York State prisons began showing state-made orientation videos offering advice on how to identify, and avoid, sexual predators behind bars. This is the version that male prisoners would see.

The Marshall Project obtained exclusive access to the state-made videos, which were funded through a grant from the federal government under the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA). The videos were directed by T.J. Parsell, who shares how he was raped in prison, and feature other people imprisoned across New York. Incarcerated people workshopped the videos' content and are referred to as the experts.

To learn more about these videos from New York State prisons, read our 2015 reporting:

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[quackslikeaduck]

I think the algorithm has lost its mind

[DarkSpade]

Extraordinary courage for a man to admit to others he was raped like this and also commit to helping others like this.

[mikecynic]

"I was gang raped, I'm telling you this because I don't want this to happen to you"...That's one hell of a motivational speech there bud.

[evanhankinson]

Prison is a place of such contradictions. Convicts claim they hate child molesters but a child doesn't last 24 hours without being raped among them, by them.

[Eljonno]

Who else is watching this like "I hope I never need to use this information" lol

[generalpurpose]

Go into prison for armed robbery with a child’s toy gun, leave prison the victim of gang rape. He came out with more trauma than he came in with, how is anybody supposed to get a fresh start and make better choices when they’re more broken when they came in? Looking at the man I can see he has his life together now, but my heart breaks for what he went through as a young man.

[squalace_]

You know a system has failed when that system needs a video like this.

[AvengedxJunkie]

my method of avoiding prison rape by not going to prison has been working exceptionally well

[PrimericanIdol]

Been to prison myself. As long as you're laid back, stick to your group, don't join gangs, and don't start shit with others, you will more than likely be fine. If someone tries to cross you, you MUST ALWAYS be assertive and fight back. Respect is EVERYTHING on the inside. You cannot let any affront to you slide, no matter how small. If you let one small thing slide, it will make you a future target.

[AdrianMunch]

It’s terrifying when two man hold you down and take turns. You never look at a man the same anymore. Especially an angry man.

[johnhouston]

My heart skipped a beat when dude
"Predators come in all shapes, sizes and races and they listen to all different genres of music."
"Predators look like us."

[techlife]

I was always told the #1 rule was:

#1- NEVER accept anything from anyone for free or as a loan.

[horseygurl]

"Staying safe isn't snitching." So very true. School counselors should have a poster of this in their offices and use the topic as a lesson plan.

[digitalstreetcode]

To anyone reading this, i hope you were suggested this video

[andrewbennefield]

I've been to prison I was willing to absolutely anything to prevent this from happening. But fortunately there were really good people in prison who hated rapists of any kind. And they pointed out the people who I should avoid.

[Pulsonar]

The guy who introduced the video shocked me with that one liner about his gang rape victim experience more than what the serving prisoners shared. Takes a strong man to survive that shit, acknowledge and deal with it psychologically and then to help others mitigate the potential for that to happen.

[markdominguez]

I told a friend who was in prison that if a big guy try to rape me I would just throw up and diarrhea all over myself, he said, "some guys like that"! 😳

[ohsomarvalus]

Its one of the most difficult things to come out sharing sexual abuse. Im a survivor and i appreciate and thank you who share your stories. Especially with men..it seems to go unnoticed. Coming out helps others as well as provides possible healing to you, the victim. God bless ❤

[saintonerism]

This documentary makes it look easy to report but ask anyone in the system how difficult it is. Often times the CO's are part of the problem because they're in on the violence.

[MrAdrienmartinez]

I read a book called "The Perfect Victim" when I was nineteen years old. I learned to be paranoid to take any gifts from strangers, especially food.