On Tuesday, celebrities like Rihanna and Kim Kardashian took to social media to speak out on behalf of Cyntoia Brown, a woman who was sentenced to life in prison in 2004 when she was just 16 after she killed a man who bought her as a sex slave.
While Brown has already served 13 years of her sentence, her story went viral again on Tuesday after Rihanna posted an image of the now 28-year-old on Instagram.
Outraged by the fact that a victim of severe abuse and child sex slavery won’t even have the option for parole until she is 69 years old, Rihanna captioned the post, “did we somehow change the definition of #JUSTICE along the way?? cause….. Something is horribly wrong when the system enables these rapists and the victim is thrown away for life! To each of you responsible for this child’s sentence I hope to God you don’t have children, because this could be your daughter being punished for punishing already! #FREECYNTOIABROWN #HowManyMore”
According to an investigation by Nashville-based Fox 17, Brown was only 16 when she ran away from home and became a victim of child sex trafficking, living with a 24-year-old man who called himself “cut-throat” who repeatedly hit, choked and dragged her and forced her into prostitution. Later, she was sold to 43-year-old Nashville realtor Johnny Allen, who she shot and killed in his home. Brown was sentenced to life in prison, and will not be eligible for parole until she has served 51 years behind bars.
Despite the release of a documentary created by filmmaker Dan Birman that followed seven years of Brown’s case, and new legislation as a result of the film that no longer allows children under the age of 18 to be charged with prostitution, Cyntoia’s sentence has remained the same. Basically, if Cyntioa’s case were to be heard today, she would be tried as a victim of sexual slavery, not for prostitution — meaning it’s highly unlikely her sentence today would be nearly as harsh as it is currently.
While in prison, Brown has managed to obtain her associate’s degree from Lipscomb University in 2015, and is working toward getting her bachelor’s degree. She’s also worked as an unpaid consultant for the juvenile justice system.
“She has used her experience to be able to make things better, juvenile justice, human trafficking and safety and security for youth and so I think what she has to offer is invaluable,” Kathryn Sinback, the juvenile court administrator of Davidson County in Nashville, told Fox 17.
Considering that laws have changed majorly since Brown’s case, and the fact that she’s made multiple positive contributions to society throughout her time in prison, many are understandably outraged by the fact that, as of now, she’ll still serve a life sentence. #FreeCyntoiaBrown, seeks to change that for her and others in similar situations.