Nikita Dragun’s rep calls decision to put her in a men’s jail “extremely dangerous”
10 November 2022, 12:27
Nikita Dragun shares video from hospital bed after being taken to a psychiatric facility
After her arrest, Nikita was misgendered and placed in the men's unit of a correctional facility.
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Nikita Dragun's rep has slammed the Miami-Dade County Corrections Department after the trans YouTuber and social media star was placed in a men's unit following her arrest.
According to TMZ, who obtained a police report of the incident, Nikita was arrested on Monday night in Miami Beach. Hotel security had told police officers that Nikita had been "causing a disturbance for a long period of time and was walking around the pool area unclothed."
Nikita was later charged with felony battery against an officer (after she reportedly hit a security guard and a police officer with an open water bottle), misdemeanour battery and misdemeanour disorderly conduct.
Per the The Daily Beast's report, the police report alternates between describing Nikita as an "Asian female" and using he/him pronouns.
On top of that, Nikita was later placed in the men's unit of a correctional facility. Although she's since been released, her reps have stated that the decision was "extremely disturbing and dangerous".
i’m not the biggest fan of nikita dragun however her being put in the MENS unit in the prison when she is a woman is completely out of control and needs to be fixed asap no matter your thoughts on her that’s such a unsafe environment for her and such a disrespect for trans ppl. pic.twitter.com/znWoGlSxHY
— jax🧚 (@slasherrwhore) November 9, 2022
Shortly after her arrest, a video of Nikita speaking to the judge went viral on social media. In the short clip, Nikita can be heard asking the judge if she had to remain in custody in the men's unit of the correctional facility.
"Your honour may I ask one question? Do I have to stay here in the men's unit, still?," Nikita asks, before the judge says, "Yeah, I don't make the rules up there."
Nikita was eventually released from jail on Wednesday (Nov 9), but a rep for the influencer has since slammed Miami-Dade County for placing her in the men's unit.
"The situation with Nikita, who is legally female, being placed in a men’s unit of a Florida jail is extremely disturbing and dangerous," Jack Ketsoyan said in a statement to The Daily Beast.
"This decision made by the Miami-Dade County Corrections Department directly violates their protocol, which mandates that transgender inmates are classified and housed based on safety needs and gender identity. Nikita has been released and is now safe."
After that clip went viral, social media users also began expressing their concern for Nikita, explaining that placing her in a men's unit was "a human rights violation".
nikita dragun is facing a human rights violation by being put in a men’s jail — i don’t think that in this moment, whether or not you personally like her is the point
— matt (@mattxiv) November 9, 2022
Nikita Dragun is one of the most well known trans women in the world; if this can happen to her, it can happen to any of us.
— Samantha Lux (@_samanthalux) November 9, 2022
Trans women are women and belong in women’s spaces.
This is absolutely horrific and should be considered cruel and unusual punishment. pic.twitter.com/jHJgwlRug4
just seen that Nikita Dragun is being kept in a mans prison, this is so fucking inhumane and the fact the news isn’t covering it is just even worse.
— Samantha (@itssamanthaaaa_) November 9, 2022
I’m not a fan of Nikita but this is a violation of human rights and her safety, they’ve even misgendered in her in the report. pic.twitter.com/qJo2SmJFhX
Nikita herself has yet to speak about her arrest. We'll update this article if she does.
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