Accident – Death – Obituary News :

Sexual Abuse Scandal Unveiled at California Women’s Prisons

Warning: This article contains graphic descriptions of sexual abuse.

In a shocking revelation, more than 130 former inmates of California’s women’s prisons in Chino and Chowchilla have come forward to sue the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and over 30 current and former correctional officers for the alleged sexual abuse they endured while incarcerated. The victims seek unspecified damages for sexual assault, battery, negligence, infliction of emotional distress, and violations of civil rights.

A Nightmare Unveiled

The ordeal began one evening after the routine 9 p.m. head count at the California Institution for Women in Chino when a trusted correctional officer took one of the inmates out of her cell. The officer, who towered at 6-foot-7, was twice her size, and the young woman, weighing less than 100 pounds, immediately sensed something was amiss. The officer claimed that the lieutenant wanted to see her, but as they reached the office, darkness enveloped the room. What followed was a horrifying account of sexual abuse, as the officer forcibly kissed, groped, and violated the helpless inmate.

These allegations are not isolated incidents. The lawsuit sheds light on a pattern of systemic sexual abuse committed by correctional officers against female detainees in California’s women’s prisons. The officers are accused of singling out vulnerable inmates and subjecting them to coerced sexual acts.

An Epidemic of Abuse

The lawsuit documents a decade-long history of sexual abuse, wherein the women, at their most vulnerable, were subjected to further victimization if they dared to report their assailants. The victims describe instances of sexual abuse taking place in various areas of the prisons, including cells, closets, and storage rooms. Shockingly, even the cleaning supplies cupboard became a site of repeated abuse for one victim, who reported the incidents to another correctional officer only to be met with indifference.

According to Doug Rochen, an attorney representing the victims, “Every woman’s worst nightmare is being locked inside a facility filled with sexual predators with no means of escape. And that’s exactly what each of these women, and likely thousands more, were subjected to for decades. California paid no attention to their well-being, left them to suffer at the hands of the worst kinds of sexual deviants, and made them relive their pain daily while being locked behind bars.”

A Culture of Negligence

The lawsuit not only targets the individual correctional officers but also highlights the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation’s failure to prevent and address the rampant sexual abuse. It accuses the department of having inadequate hiring practices, procedures, and training in place to protect the inmates from such heinous acts.

This scandal is not unique to California; sexual abuse of incarcerated women by prison and jail workers is a nationwide problem. Startlingly, government surveys suggest that more than 3,500 women are sexually abused by prison and jail workers annually.

A Call for Justice

This lawsuit is the latest in a series of legal actions targeting sexual abuse in California’s female prisons. Last summer, another law firm filed litigation involving over 100 other plaintiffs, including victims of one of the accused correctional officers, Gregory Rodriguez.

Under state law, victims of sexual assault by police and correctional officers have up to 10 years after the assailants’ conviction or departure from the law enforcement agency to file a lawsuit. This provision gives victims a chance to seek justice and hold their abusers accountable.

It is imperative to address and rectify the deep-rooted issue of sexual abuse within the prison system. The victims deserve justice, and it is the responsibility of the authorities to ensure the safety and well-being of all incarcerated individuals.

Read more: Los Angeles Times

Read more: Oklahoma judge rules a man who spent nearly 50 years in prison for murder is innocent

Read more: Suspect in rape of 12-year-old Culver City girl faces life in prison

Sign up for Essential California for news, features, and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.

.