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:
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:
We are a nonprofit organization comprised of concerned California community members dedicated to eliminating the felony murder rule. Tax ID #84-3224998