A former inmate who was incarcerated in the women’s prison on Riker’s Island claims that New York City mistakenly sent a heterosexual man, who pretended to be a transgender woman, into the facility with the intention of preying on women.
A woman known as “Rose Doe” has filed a civil lawsuit alleging that she was sexually assaulted by an inmate who claimed to be a transgender woman while they were both serving time in the Rose M. Singer women’s jail. According to NBC New York, the man openly admitted, “I’m not transgender. I’m straight. I like women.” Despite this, the Department of Corrections staff allegedly advised her to go along with the ruse so that the man could remain in the female section of the jail and have unrestricted access to other women.
The lawsuit also reveals that Rose Doe made numerous complaints about being groped, sexually assaulted, and raped, but no action was taken. Additionally, the woman claims that the accused inmate had previously been linked to other similar offenses.
Read more from NBC New York:
In August of last year, the prisoner accused of raping Rose Doe was transferred to a maximum security prison for men after pleading guilty to felony assault charges that initially led to his incarceration at Rikers.
Prior to the alleged rape, Rose Doe’s attorneys argue that there was ample evidence indicating the potential danger of introducing the new detainee into a female dormitory, including jail disciplinary records documenting five open complaints under the Prison Rape Elimination Act, a 2003 law that standardized the process for reporting alleged sexual misconduct in detention facilities.
Rose Doe also claims that she did not receive appropriate treatment following these traumatic incidents, including mental and medical health services. A letter referenced in the lawsuit states that jail investigators concluded there was “insufficient evidence” to establish the veracity of the incidents reported by Rose Doe.
“Whether or not this person was truly or not transgender ignores the fact that you had a history of complaints of predatory behavior,” attorney Nicholas Liakas told NBC New York. “This individual had documented complaints of harassment. It culminated with a rape after being ignored.”
