Survivors and advocates press California lawmakers to address staff sexual abuse in women's prisons

At a hearing of the California State Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 6 on public safety, survivors, advocates and legislators described repeated sexual misconduct by prison staff at California's women's institutions and urged immediate changes to investigations, accountability and options for victims.

The testimony included accounts of serial abuse and institutional failures that witnesses and some legislators said are not being adequately addressed. “This is unacceptable,” said Amika Mota, executive director of Sister Warriors Freedom Coalition, describing jury convictions and allegations that followed disclosures of long-term abuse. “We hope to sustain this work with ongoing funding in this year's budget and improve our access to incarcerated survivors.”

Why it matters: witnesses and several lawmakers told the subcommittee that widespread underreporting, fear of retaliation and limited external oversight have allowed staff abuse to continue. The Office of the Inspector General reported a steep workload of staff-misconduct investigations that it cannot fully monitor without additional…