SUMMARY

Stacey Dyer is an incarcerated survivor of child sexual abuse and severe domestic violence who has been in prison for 20 years. By the time she was convicted and sentenced to Life Without Parole when she was 22 years old, she suffered from the devastating long-term effects of profound and repeated sexual, physical, and psychological abuse, important context for her conviction. Please join us in asking Governor Gavin Newsom to commute Stacey Dyer’s sentence from Life Without Parole to a parole-eligible sentence.

BACKGROUND

Stacey Dyer is an incarcerated survivor of child sexual abuse, rape, and domestic violence who has been in prison for 20 years. By the time she was convicted and sentenced to Life Without Parole when she was 22 years old, Stacey had suffered from the devastating long-term effects of profound sexual, physical, and psychological abuse.

Because Stacey had experienced compounded trauma, her sense of safety was shattered. When she was 20 years old, Stacey was attacked by a group of men and raped. A year later, she thought she had finally found safety in a relationship with a person who was the lead member of a gang and who promised to protect her. However, this context of compromised safety ultimately led to her crime. Stacey continues to experience profound remorse and grief as a result, in addition to contending with her own experiences of violence.

In prison, Stacey has taken initiative to create positive change in her community and, as a result, she was elected into multiple leadership positions by her peers. Stacey serves as a certified peer mentor and a trained facilitator for many support groups such as grief counseling and suicide prevention. Stacey is also deeply involved in her own healing and transformation, participating in dozens of programs on topics such as insight, restorative justice, conflict resolution, and domestic violence.

Like many other stories of criminalized survivors, Stacey’s life reflects the consequences of our community’s failure to adequately support child and adult survivors of sexual and physical abuse. This lack of support creates and sustains ongoing cycles of violence. We urge Governor Newsom to help end the conditions of violence that shaped Stacey’s life by giving her the opportunity to seek parole and continue to heal, make amends, and give back to her community.

Join us in asking Governor Newsom to commute Stacey Dyer’s sentence from Life Without Parole to a parole-eligible sentence.

Thank you for your support. Please also sign our petitions to commute Christina, Brandy, Rae & Tammy. To support more survivors, follow us @survivepunish.