DOJ Launches Investigation Into Sexual Abuse Claims at California Women’s Prisons

The U.S. Department of Justice has launched an investigation into allegations of systematic sexual abuse of incarcerated women at the Central California Women’s Facility in Chowchilla and the California Institution for Women in Chino. The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation has stated that it does not tolerate sexual abuse in its prisons and welcomes the investigation. The investigation was prompted by numerous lawsuits alleging that women at the Chowchilla prison were raped and sexually abused, while a lawsuit on behalf of 21 women at the Chino facility detailed incidents of rape, groping, forced oral copulation, and threats of violence by correction officers. The Justice Department stated that correctional staff were accused of seeking sexual favors in exchange for contraband and privileges, and some of the accused were officials responsible for handling sexual abuse complaints. The Secretary of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation expressed a zero-tolerance policy for sexual assault in state prisons. In a separate incident, the federal Bureau of Prisons announced the closure of a women’s prison in Northern California following an investigation that exposed widespread sexual abuse by correctional officers. If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, the National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline operated by RAINN can offer assistance and connect you with resources.

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