The union representing corrections officers in New York is continuing to decry the state’s HALT Act.
Women of NYSCOPBA held a press conference earlier this week, claiming the act has led to more sexual harassment and violence against female correctional officers.
Christina King has been one such officer for over a decade. Speaking at the conference, she said “we have the right not to be sexually harassed at work. We have the right not to be sexually assaulted at work. We have the right to work in an environment where we’re not used as sex symbols for someone else’s gratification. Allow me the right to do my job to the best of my abilities and not be sexually traumatized in the process.”
Other female officers shared personal experiences of times they were either harassed or assaulted by incarcerated individuals. The similarly called on the state government to hold these people accountable for their actions and to offer more protections to prison and jail staff.
First implemented in 2022, the HALT act limits how much time an inmate can spend in solitary confinement.
