Eight members of the Illinois General Assembly are calling on state authorities to investigate allegations of abuse faced by a transgender woman held in several different Illinois Department of Corrections facilities, all of them segregated for male inmates.
Strawberry Hampton earlier in 2018 sued the state in federal court to be moved to a women’s prison, alleging that she suffered physical, verbal and sexual abuse at the hands of both staff and fellow inmates at four different men’s prisons. Hampton has attempted suicide a number of times since February.
“The potentially criminal actions Ms. Hampton has experienced at the hands of State employees in these IDOC facilities has to end now and must be investigated,” said State Rep. Kelly Cassidy in an Aug. 20 statement. “Moving Ms. Hampton from one correctional center to the next to end the abuse has proven to be futile and reflects shortcomings not only in our criminal justice system but in our oversight of these facilities. Correctional facilities were created to help reintegrate individuals who commit crimes into society once they are released.. It has become apparent, especially in cases such as this one, that our current method is further alienating and damaging the lives of those who need help the most.”
Cassidy said that she is forwarding the allegations to the appropriate State’s Attorneys in the jurisdiction in where the alleged abuse took place.
Among those also calling for further investigation are state Reps. Kelly Cassidy, Greg Harris, Sara Feigenholtz, Sam Yingling, Christian Mitchell, Will Guzzardi, and Ann Williams and state Sen. Heather Steans.