A self-described prison and police abolitionist claims she was gang-raped by six men in 2021 — but chose not to report the crime because, in her words, it would have been “silly and strange” to send anyone to jail over it.
Columbia University PhD candidate Anna Krauthamer sparked backlash after publishing an essay titled “Why I Didn’t Report My Rape”, in which she described an alleged assault that took place in a Las Vegas hotel room while she was traveling with friends.
“I never did anything about it,” Krauthamer wrote. “The simple answer to the question of why I never reported the rape is that I believe in the abolition of police and prisons.”
She went on to explain that she could not bring herself to be involved in the incarceration of others, describing it as almost childish to imagine people being jailed “at my expense.”
“How silly and strange it would be to have a group of people incarcerated at my expense when doing so would do nothing to fix the damage they have already so thoroughly done,” she wrote.
Krauthamer added that she did not want to “ruin the lives” of the men she says raped her, suggesting they might have families and children. “The only thing I want is for them to have never done what they did to me,” she said, arguing that prison would not change the past.
Critics quickly pushed back on social media, pointing out the dangerous consequences of refusing to report violent crimes.
One user noted that many victims already avoid reporting rape due to humiliation, blame, and fear — but that silence also protects attackers.
“These monsters are free to harm others and escalate their violence,” the commenter wrote. “Had she reported the crime in a timely manner, they might have been picked up and removed from the streets long enough to save someone else. Even if the case failed, they would have felt consequences nipping at their heels.”
Data from the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department adds context to the controversy. In October, the department reported a rise in sex offenses during 2025, with more than 1,400 reported sexual crimes so far that year — compared to around 1,200 at the same point the year before. The majority involved rape and forcible fondling, each exceeding 600 cases.
Police officials said the increase likely reflects more victims coming forward, while advocates warned that the real number of assaults is likely higher because many victims still never report.
According to her public profile, Krauthamer studies “sexual violence and contemporary fiction” as part of her doctoral work.
The controversy has left many asking a blunt question: if even someone who claims to be raped refuses to support consequences for rapists, who exactly benefits from abolishing police and prisons — victims, or criminals?
