CA Women's Prisons - Sexual Abuse Response & Prevention Report

The Sexual Abuse Response and Prevention working group has released a groundbreaking report outlining substantial measures needed to combat sexual abuse within California’s Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR). The report is the result of interviews with over 700 incarcerated people and emphasizes the critical need for reform in how sexual assault and harassment cases are handled within the state’s carceral system, particularly within the two state prisons designated for women: the Central California Women’s Facility (CCWF) and the California Institution for Women (CIW).

This working group, consisting of community-based organizations – including Sister Warriors Freedom Coalition, California Coalition for Women Prisoners, Just Detention International, Justice First, Survived & Punished, and VALOR - spent months conducting research and compiling this report. The group’s investigation focused on protections for whistleblowers, access to trauma-informed support for survivors, and the handling of misconduct reports against staff members, making recommendations based on the root factors contributing to the ongoing sexual abuse within these facilities.

Key recommendations:

1. Expedited Release for Survivors: Proposing a system to fast-track the release of individuals who have survived sexual abuse by CDCR staff, acknowledging that true safety lies outside of incarceration.
2. Cultural transformation within CDCR: Recommending an overhaul of staff training on sexual harassment and misconduct, mental health screenings for staff, policy reviews by formerly incarcerated consultants, and promoting community-building efforts among incarcerated people.
3. Enhanced Services for Survivors: Advocating for improved collaboration with Rape Crisis Centers (RCCs), the provision of remote emotional support services, and increasing access and funding for on-site survivor support services.
4. Revamping the investigation and reporting process: Proposing a more confidential, accessible, and independent system for reporting and investigating staff misconduct, to protect reporters from immediate retaliation and ensure appropriate institutional response to abuse.
5. Institutional accountability: Calling for strengthened whistleblower protections, penalties for body-worn camera deactivation, and external oversight to ensure compliance with recommended changes.

Reports like this detail the need to reallocate state taxpayer from building more prisons - or "transforming" existing prisons - into programs that seek to eliminate sexual abuse within California's carceral system as part of a larger strategy to reducing the prison population.

Felony Murder Elimination Project asks our supporters to read through the report, and spread the word throughout social media and their networks. Here's how you can help:

1. Read and download the report --->> CA Women's Prisons - Sexual Abuse Response & Prevention Working Group
2. Post about the report on social media channels using this toolkit containing graphics, posts, and the report's shortlink. You can also use these hashtags: #StopCDCRSexualAbuse #ReleaseSurvivors #SupportSurvivors
3. Email the report link (CA Women's Prisons - Sexual Abuse Response & Prevention Working Group) to your own networks.