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 resources, and advocates urged legislative steps from strengthened oversight to expedited release pathways for survivors.

Survivors and advocates recounted specific incidents. Mota reviewed the case of a former guard and said the trial that produced 64 convictions demonstrated how assaults can occur without witnesses or video. Sol Mercado, a reentry coordinator who said she is an anonymous plaintiff in a lawsuit alleging staff sexual abuse, testified that an officer raped her in a parole hearing room lacking surveillance cameras and that she feared filing grievances because of retaliation.

“Officer Rodriguez raped me there,” Mercado testified. She described being denied access to the facility after filing litigation and said employees told her she would lose clearance if she pursued investigations. “I felt trapped and that he had full control,” she told the committee.

Wardens and CDCR officials acknowledged the gravity of the allegations and described steps they said they have taken, including partnerships with outside organizations, training and ambassador programs. Anissa De La Cruz, warden at the Central California Women's Facility (CCWF), told the committee she has “a 0 tolerance for sexual abuse and harassment of those under our care” and described partnerships with Just Detention International and others to provide victim support and peer mentorship programs.

But lawmakers and advocates said the institutional responses fall short. Assemblymember Bonta and other members pointed to continuing reports of abuse and asked why alleged bad actors can be moved between facilities rather than promptly and transparently removed and prosecuted. Several lawmakers urged the Legislature to consider pathways to release as a primary route to safety for survivors, echoing recommendations from the Legislative Women's Caucus working group.

The Office of the Inspector General told the committee it is requesting state funding to expand its ability to monitor and investigate staff-misconduct complaints. Amarik Singh, the Inspector General, described a budget change proposal to add investigative positions and said March data showed CDCR opened 203 investigations into alleged staff sexual misconduct in one month, of which his office monitored 31 and left 172 unmonitored.

Discussion versus decisions: the hearing was an oversight and budget discussion; no formal votes or legislative actions were taken during the session. Committee members pressed CDCR and the OIG for follow-up data and for more explicit plans to prevent retaliation, improve investigations, and expand survivor services. Several members asked CDCR to return with specific resource requests and implementation plans.

Looking ahead: witnesses and legislators asked the subcommittee to consider the OIG's budget request, sustained funding for community-based survivor support and the Legislative Women's Caucus recommendations, including possible release pathways for survivors when appropriate. Members also asked CDCR and the OIG to provide periodic updates on investigations, referrals to local prosecutors and steps taken to protect complainants.

Ending: The subcommittee did not take votes. Committee members said they expect follow-up briefings and data from CDCR and the Office of the Inspector General on investigations, staffing and retaliation protections.