If their child has been abused by the very people meant to protect them, a lot of parents would want the issue to go away. But Genger Galloway, mother of former Texas Youth Commission inmate Joseph, has now been named as the recipient of this year’s Henry B. Gonzalez Human Rights Award. Given by the Texas Civil Rights Project, it recognizes community-level human rights workers in Texas, and this time recognizes Galloway for her whistle-blowing role in uncovering the Texas Youth Commission abuse scandal.

Between 2003 and being released in 2007, Joseph Galloway was kept in several TYC facilities, and has alleged being repeatedly physically and sexually assaulted by staff and inmates. Since he became one of the first TYC inmates released after the scandal broke, Galloway’s family have become the center of a federal class-action suit against 28 defendants, and his mother has talked on the issue to legislators, the Prison Rape Elimination Act Commission and even the CBS evening news. Indeed, it was her hard work that gave the issue some of its worryingly Spartan coverage on the national stage.

Galloway will receive the award at the TCRP 17th Annual Bill of Rights Dinner on Nov. 3rd.

This article appears in October 19 • 2007.

A note to readers: Bold and uncensored, The Austin Chronicle has been Austin’s independent news source for over 40 years, expressing the community’s political and environmental concerns and supporting its active cultural scene. Now more than ever, we need your support to continue supplying Austin with independent, free press. If real news is important to you, please consider making a donation of $5, $10 or whatever you can afford, to help keep our journalism on stands.

SUPPORT US

The Chronicle's first Culture Desk editor, Richard has reported on Austin's growing film production and appreciation scene for over a decade. A graduate of the universities of York, Stirling, and UT-Austin, a Rotten Tomatoes certified critic, and eight-time Best of Austin winner, he's currently at work on two books and a play.