idealist.org

The Cahill Human Rights Fellowship was established in honor of Tom Cahill, a prisoner rape survivor, human rights advocate, and Just Detention International’s long-time Board member and President (1998 to 2006).

Just Detention International (JDI) is a human rights organization that works to end sexual abuse in all forms of detention. Based in Los Angeles and Washington, DC, JDI seeks to: ensure government accountability for prisoner rape; change ill-informed public attitudes toward sexual assault behind bars; and promote access to resources for survivors of this type of violence.

Mr. Cahill was arrested for civil disobedience in 1968, after participating in a nonviolent demonstration protesting the Vietnam War. While being held at a Texas jail he was brutally gang-raped and beaten. When others might have been silenced, Mr. Cahill had the courage instead to speak out about the abuses he had endured, demanding corrections reform and respect for every human being’s right to dignity. The purpose of the Cahill Human Rights Fellowship is to continue Mr. Cahill’s outstanding tradition of speaking truth to power and demanding government accountability for the sexual violence that plagues U.S. detention facilities.

Each summer, a promising student who will soon embark on a career that is likely to focus on human rights and social justice is awarded the fellowship. The Fellow spends ten weeks working full-time, between June and August, at the JDI office in Washington, DC. S/he receives a $5,000 stipend. The Fellow’s responsibilities include: conducting policy research; reaching out to allied organizations and policymakers; developing and implementing advocacy efforts; and responding to inquiries from prisoner rape survivors.

The Cahill Human Rights Fellowship is aimed at graduate students in the fields of law and public policy, although exceptionally qualified undergraduate students are also welcome to apply. The successful candidate will have demonstrated a strong commitment to human rights, and in particular to serving marginalized populations. S/he will have strong research and communications skills and thrive on multi-tasking and working against deadlines. People of color are encouraged to apply.

Please send cover letter, resume, and brief writing sample (five pages max) to dmurray@justdetention.org. Address the cover letter to Cynthia Totten, Program Director.