Correctional Facility Sexual Abuse Lawyer
Fighting for Inmate Rights and Justice
In all US states and territories, it’s illegal for correction officers – any prison staff for that matter – to engage in a sexual activity with prisoners. For one, by the very definition, inmates cannot legally give consent to someone who is in a position of authority over them. These guards, after all, have the power to make life very difficult for prisoners; saying no automatically comes with the threat of punishment. True consent is simply not possible when one party is under the care or authority of another, regardless of what that officer claims.
When an officer physically forces a prisoner, blackmails them, humiliates them, or refuses to provide basic necessities to them, they are clearly breaking the inmate’s civil rights. As such, the inmate might be able to sue to for damages for this violation of rights and any other harm they have suffered.
Alternative Legal Options
If you were incarcerated in the Bayview Correctional Facility, Rikers Island, or any other Los Angeles prison or female correctional facility and could not benefit from the Adult Survivors Act, don’t worry. While the ASA’s deadline has passed, there is still hope. If you or someone else you know was sexually assaulted by a correctional facility officer in Los Angeles, you may still have legal avenues to explore.
For instance, the Los Angeles Council approved the Gender-Motivated Violence Act (GMVA) in 2021. It provides a two-year period for victims of gender-based violence to file lawsuits, even after the statute of limitations has expired. This window is in effect until March 2025. If you can prove that the reason you were abused by correctional officers was specifically related to you being a man or a woman, not just because you were in prison, you can still sue your abuser even if the incident happened years ago.
Getting Legal Help After Being Sexually Abused By Prison Officers
When you are a victim of sexual violence in your adulthood, the barriers to speaking out can seem monumental. You might feel ashamed, doubt whether others will believe you, or worry about retaliation from those who abused you. It’s not uncommon for survivors to have repressed memories, leaving them unaware of the full extent of their trauma.
First, know that sexual abuse doesn’t just mean “rape” under Los Angeles laws. It can also be:
- Unwanted physical contact, with or without clothing
- Sexual harassment
- Obscene gestures or remarks
- Forcing exposure to explicit images or videos
- Providing drugs or alcohol to facilitate sexual activity
- Sexual assault
- Using threats to conceal the abuse or ensure compliance
We can’t say that your journey will become easier after you report the abuse, but our Los Angeles personal injury lawyers at the Agemian Law Group of Vinny Agemian can promise you this: we will do everything we can to support you every step of the way and hold your abusers – and those who were complicit – accountable.
It can be difficult to go after prisons and similar government organizations, considering their vast financial resources and the fact that our justice system can have the proclivity to believe “government is always right”. But winning is still possible. Get in touch with us to schedule a 100% free and confidential consultation. If we take your case, it will cost you nothing upfront; we only get paid when we win. And we have been fighting for over 30 years so we know how to win.
