WASHINGTON, D.C.— The Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs and the law firm of Arnold & Porter announce the filing of a sexual harassment and retaliation lawsuit against the D.C. Department of Corrections (DOC) on behalf of six current and former female corrections officers. The case has been filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

The complaint alleges that DOC male officers, including the former Deputy Warden, subjected plaintiffs to sexually harassing behavior, including sexually charged comments, requests for sex in exchange for better jobs, and exposure of genitals. The complaint also alleges that, after rejecting these advances or complaining about the harassing behavior, the plaintiffs suffered retaliatory treatment, ranging from changes in posts to termination. A copy of the complaint can be found here.

According to Matthew Handley, Director of the Equal Employment Opportunity Project, “This complaint seeks to address the pervasive practice of tolerating sexual harassment and retaliation at the D.C. Jail, which has persisted despite the numerous lawsuits brought against the Department in the past. It is time for the Jail’s culture to change and for its female employees to be treated with respect.”