Transgender Woman Victim of Sexual Abuse in Prison - Again

According to a recent lawsuit, an incarcerated transgender woman endured multiple accounts of sexual assault and harassment after being forced into lockup with men in a Georgia prison. Unfortunately, this was not her first experience with such horrific treatment. Five years prior, she endured the same type of horrific treatment after being incarcerated for a minor, non-violent offense, including denial of hormone treatments and instances of repeated sexual assault, which led to her filing a civil rights lawsuit against the prison.  As a result of her lawsuit, the Georgia Department of Corrections changing its treatment policies, and she became a leading advocate for transgender people in jail when she reached a settlement with the prison and was released on parole.

However, after a parole violation placed the woman back in jail five years later, she was faced with the same abuse and mistreatment.  The woman was denied hormone therapy, housed in a cell with a door that did not lock, and was repeatedly assaulted by guards and other inmates. The abuse she endured resulted in her attempting suicide and self-castration.

Transgender prisoners are at an increased risk for sexual abuse during incarceration, as they are not always permitted to be housed among people of the same gender. According to the woman’s lawsuit, prison workers did nothing to protect her from assault, and was simply moved to another facility for men, where the assaults continued.

If you or a loved one have been the victim of assault, harassment, or discrimination while incarcerated, reach out to a Grant & Eisenhofer civil rights lawyer to determine whether you can file a lawsuit.