Chrystul Kizer, now 19 years old, has been released on bond after community activists raised her $400,000 bail. 

Kizer was sent to a Wisconsin jail after she shot and killed her alleged sex trafficker, Randall P. Volar III, a white man, after enduring months of sexual abuse and violence. She is now facing the possibility of life in prison, The Seattle Times reports. She had spent two years in jail awaiting her trial for the June 2018 shooting.

Community groups — including the Chrystul Kizer Defense Committee, Chicago Community Bond Fund, Milwaukee Freedom Fund and Survived & Punished — worked together to raise the necessary funds, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported.

Money raised will assist with Kizer's legal fees, living expenses and treatment and care she has been receiving. 

Bail money returned at the end of Kizer's case will go toward creating a national bail fund for criminalized survivors of sexual abuse. The funds will also be donated to the Milwaukee Freedom Fund to support its continued efforts of raising bail money for those who can't afford it.

Mia Noel with the Milwaukee Freedom Fund highlighted the organizations' collective efforts to bring forth justice for young Black survivors.

"The better world protesters are struggling for is one that protects not punishes young, Black survivors like Chrystul," Noel said. "Her case deepens the current calls for justice and the need to keep fighting to transform our society. While the systems designed to hurt Black, Latinx, Indigenous and people of color communities still exist, bail funds and mutual aid projects are a necessity."

Kizer was 16 years old when she placed an ad on the website Backpage and said she intended to make money for school supplies and snacks. Kizer said she was unaware of who would respond and was under the guidance of another girl who helped her navigate the website. 

Volar, 33 years old at the time, replied to her message on the site, which was later seized by the FBI as a forum for prostitution, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported. 

Volar, who was under investigation for sexual conduct with underage girls, allegedly began to physically and sexually abuse Kizer while giving her money and gifts, The Seattle Times reports. Evidence collected by police revealed Volar was abusing multiple underage Black girls.

In June 2018, Kizer shot and killed Volar while, she said, he attempted to pin her to the ground, as Blavity previously reported. She subsequently set his home on fire and left in his BMW. She was charged with arson and first-degree intentional homicide.

The hashtag #FreeChrystul was created, prompting people to call on local officials to drop the charges against her. 

Although a trial date has not been set for Kizer, Kenosha County District Attorney Michael Graveley said there's a plea deal on the table to reduce Kizer's charges to felony murder. The reduced charge would eliminate the mandatory life sentence. 

Additionally, Graveley said no one suspects Kizer would go to prison for life even if convicted of first-degree intentional homicide because of her "young age and … the offenses that Mr. Volar committed against her earlier."

"She is never a person who will be incarcerated for decades. That's not going to happen in this case," Graveley added.

If you would like to help Chrystul Kizer's case and show support, you can sign the petition here.

Chrystul Kizersex trafficking