Lawsuit Information Center
This page will look at civil lawsuits for sexual abuse of female prisoners at the California Institution for Women (CIW) in Chino. Inmates at CIW have been subjected to sexual abuse at the hands of correctional officers through threats and coercion. Many inmates have also been sexually abused by the prison OB-GYN during medical exams.
The California Institution for Women in Chino has a long, complicated, and depressing history. It is the oldest women’s prison in the state. It has housed notorious inmates over the years, including several Manson Family members. But today, CIW is known for something else, something much darker. Women incarcerated at CIW are stepping forward to reveal a culture of sexual abuse, denial, and silence that lasted for years behind the prison walls.
Our firm is currently accepting new CIW sex abuse cases. If you were sexually abused or assaulted at CIW prison, contact our sex abuse lawyers today at 800-553-8082 or contact us online.
About the California Institution for Women (CIW)
The California Institution for Women, or CIW, is a state-run correctional facility for women located in Chino, California, about an hour east of Los Angeles. The prison opened in 1952 and was, for decades, California’s primary institution for female inmates. It remains one of the largest women’s prisons in the state, housing individuals classified across all three custody levels: minimum, medium, and maximum security.
The CIW campus spans 120 acres and operates under the supervision of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR). Although the facility was originally designed to hold around 1,400 inmates, it has regularly housed over 2,100, making overcrowding a persistent issue. Inmates are assigned to open dormitories or secure housing depending on their classification, but the physical layout of the prison has changed little over the decades despite the increase in population and complexity of medical and mental health needs.
CIW has long been known to the public for the high-profile women who served time there, including convicted members of the Manson Family. But inside its walls, the prison has become known for something far less sensational and far more troubling—a longstanding pattern of institutional failure to protect the women it holds. The overcrowded conditions, lack of privacy, and uneven supervision have created a setting where abuse by staff can flourish unnoticed or unchallenged.
That is the backdrop against which the current wave of sexual abuse lawsuits is unfolding. CIW was not simply a location where misconduct occurred. It was a system where the warning signs were missed, dismissed, or buried—and where women who reported abuse were too often ignored.
Sexual Abuse of Inmates By Guards at CIW
A number of investigative news reports published in 2023 revealed that female inmates in the California prison system were habitually subjected to sexual abuse by correctional officers. The reports focused on sexual abuse at 2 female correctional facilities: CIW and the women’s prison in Chowchilla (commonly known as “Chowchilla women’s prison”).
According to these reports, inmates at CIW were routinely subjected to sexual abuse and assault by correctional officers and staff. These reports encouraged numerous former inmates who had suffered abuse at CIW and Chowchilla to come forward and share their experiences.
In January 2023, a civil lawsuit was filed against the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation on behalf of more than 100 former inmates who had been victims of sexual abuse at both CIW and at Chowchilla. The lawsuit alleged that correctional officers exploited their positions of power to coerce female inmates into performing sexual acts against their will. In some cases, inmates were physically restrained and raped.
Correctional officers at the Chino prison allegedly used their authority to silence victims and prevent reports of abuse. They employed threats of physical violence and verbal intimidation to discourage inmates from speaking out or filing complaints, allowing the cycle of abuse to continue unchecked. The allegations include instances of rape, forced sexual acts, and verbal harassment by correctional officers, highlighting a pervasive culture of abuse and intimidation within these institutions.
Sexual Abuse of Inmates at CIW By Dr. Scott Lee
For years, incarcerated women at the California Institution for Women (CIW) suffered sexual abuse and medical neglect at the hands of Dr. Scott Lee, the prison’s sole gynecologist from 2016 to 2023. Despite years of complaints about his misconduct—including sexual assault, excessive and unnecessary pelvic exams, and retaliatory denial of care—the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) and the California Correctional Health Care Services (CCHCS) failed to take action.
Allegations Against Dr. Lee
According to multiple plaintiffs, Dr. Lee engaged in horrific and predatory behavior during gynecological exams. His alleged abuses include:
- Forcibly restraining patients and performing invasive exams despite their pleas to stop.
- Conducting unnecessary and excessive vaginal and anal exams.
- Making sexually inappropriate comments and humiliating patients.
- Retaliating against those who reported him by altering their medical records or withholding necessary treatment.
- Depriving patients of privacy and failing to provide trauma-informed care.
Many of Dr. Lee’s patients were survivors of prior sexual abuse, making his actions particularly egregious and retraumatizing.
Layers of Abuse at the California Institution for Women (CIW)
| Type of Misconduct | Correctional Officers | Dr. Scott Lee | Institutional Negligence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sexual Assault | Rape, forced acts | Invasive exams | Failure to intervene |
| Verbal Harassment | Threats, intimidation | Sexual comments | Ignored complaints |
| Medical Misconduct | None reported | Unnecessary procedures | Allowed continued access |
| Retaliation | Silencing victims | Denying care, altering records | Suppressed reports |
A Pattern of Abuse Ignored by Prison Officials
CIW prisoners repeatedly reported Dr. Lee’s misconduct, but prison officials ignored their complaints. High-ranking administrators, including CIW wardens and medical executives, were aware of the allegations yet allowed Dr. Lee to continue treating incarcerated women. The systemic negligence led to widespread fear among prisoners, many of whom avoided seeking gynecological care to protect themselves from further abuse.
The Plaintiffs’ Experiences
In February 2025, six former inmates filed a civil lawsuit accusing Dr. Lee of coercing patients into unnecessary and painful examinations, making inappropriate sexual comments, and retaliating against those who resisted or reported his misconduct.
- Jane Doe #1 suffered a painful, non-consensual vaginal exam that left her permanently injured. After filing a complaint, she was denied the medication prescribed by an outside doctor unless she agreed to another exam with Dr. Lee.
- Jane Doe #2 was pressured into unnecessary pap smears despite having no cervix. She refused further appointments after being subjected to degrading comments.
- Jane Doe #3 was coerced into receiving an intrauterine device (IUD) against her wishes. During the insertion, Dr. Lee ignored her pleas for a gentler procedure and forcibly restrained her.
- Jane Doe #4, seven months pregnant at the time, endured an aggressive and painful vaginal exam that left her bleeding. She later gave birth without access to basic postpartum care because she refused further treatment from Dr. Lee.
- Jane Doe #5 was subjected to repeated, medically unnecessary pap smears and invasive exams over a three-year period. She was also groped in a sexualized manner during a supposed breast exam.
- Jane Doe #6 endured repeated aggressive and unnecessary pelvic exams, was forced to undergo painful procedures without consent, and was subjected to humiliating comments about her body.
The lawsuit highlights systemic issues within the prison healthcare system, alleging that prison officials were aware of Dr. Lee’s abusive behavior but failed to take action. Notably, in 2017, a formerly incarcerated woman accused Dr. Lee of mutilating her genitals under the pretense of performing a biopsy, warning that he was conducting unnecessary procedures. Despite such complaints, no corrective measures were implemented, allowing the abuse to persist.
A System That Knew Better
What happened at CIW with Dr. Scott Lee is not just the story of one abusive physician. That is the lazy narrative and it is just not correct. The California Instituation ot Women’s story is a system that had already seen this play out… and allowed it to happen again.
For more than two decades, women in California prisons have reported being sexually abused during medical exams. In the 1990s, it was Dr. Ernest Reeves at Chowchilla. In the 2000s, it was Dr. Robert Bowman at Valley State Prison. The patterns were remarkably similar: invasive exams with questionable medical purpose, dismissive treatment, formal complaints that led nowhere.
By the time women began reporting Dr. Lee, the institutions responsible were not operating in the dark. They were not confronting a novel threat. They were facing a scenario they had already encountered and yet, for seven years, he remained in place. The reports were known. The risks were clear. But the system responded with inertia and protected itself rather than the people in its care.
That institutional hesitation had real consequences. Many women simply stopped going to medical appointments. They made the understandable calculation that avoiding health care was safer than submitting to it, which is truly a tragedy. As a result, basic conditions went undiagnosed. Bleeding, infections, and reproductive problems were left untreated. What should have been routine became a choice between sexual abuse and taking on real risk.
This is not just a failure of oversight. It is a failure of institutional memory. California’s prison system had already been warned. It had already seen how this story ends. What it lacked was the will to apply what it had learned. The result was a cycle that not only repeated itself, but deepened its impact, precisely because it unfolded in full view of lessons that had already been paid for.
DOJ Investigation
In response to these widespread allegations, the U.S. Department of Justice announced in September 2024 that it had initiated a civil rights investigation into the conditions at CIW Chino and the Central California Women’s Facility. This investigation aims to determine whether CDCR has adequately protected incarcerated women from sexual abuse by correctional staff, underscoring the severity of the systemic issues within California’s women’s prisons.
The allegations against Dr. Lee and the subsequent legal actions shed light on the urgent need for comprehensive reforms to protect the rights and well-being of incarcerated women in California.
Civil Lawsuits for Sexual Abuse of CIW Inmates
Anyone who was sexually abused or assaulted by a correctional officer, Dr. Scott Lee, or any other staff member at CIW can file a civil lawsuit and get financial compensation. CIW was under the operational control and authority of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR). CDCR has a legal duty and can be held liable for the actions of its staff and employees in certain contexts, including prison doctors like Dr. Lee.
In cases involving sexual abuse of inmates at CIW, there is a growing body of evidence establishing that CDCR and its administrators at the prison were negligent in a number of ways. CDCR was negligent in failing to property screen, train, monitor, and supervise correctional officers at CIW, to ensure that they were not abusing inmates. CDCR was also negligent in how it handled complaints of misconduct or abuse by correctional officers. CDCR and officials at CIW routinely disregarded, ignored, or in some cases even suppressed reports of correctional officers abusing inmates.
Deadline for CIW Sex Abuse Lawsuits
In California, all personal injury claims are subject to a statute of limitations, which sets the legal deadline for filing a lawsuit against a negligent party to seek compensation for physical or mental injuries. While most cases have a time limit of 1 to 3 years, the laws surrounding sexual abuse cases are more complex.
For survivors who were minors (under 18) at the time of the abuse, California law allows them to file a civil lawsuit until their 40th birthday or within five years of discovering the impact of the abuse, whichever is later.
Survivors who were 18 or older at the time of the sexual abuse have either 10 years from the last act of assault or three years from when they discovered (or reasonably should have discovered) that their mental condition or injury was caused by the abuse.
The thing about the statute of limitations is that it has so many exceptions and caveats that allow you to get around it under the right circumstances. Reach and contact us and our lawyers will tell you if you have a viable claim.
Settlement Value of CIW Sex Abuse Lawsuits
Victims of sexual abuse at CIW may be eligible for substantial financial compensation through civil lawsuits. Settlement amounts vary based on factors such as the severity of the abuse, its long-term impact on the victim, and the legal jurisdiction where the case is filed. Key factors influencing settlement payouts include:
- Nature of Abuse: Cases involving prolonged abuse or severe misconduct by staff typically result in higher settlements. More egregious acts, such as violent rape, generally have greater legal value than cases involving coerced sexual acts.
- Victim Impact: The extent of the emotional, psychological, and physical harm suffered by the victim plays a major role in determining compensation. Cases involving diagnosed PTSD, depression, or other long-term trauma may result in higher payouts.
- Institutional Negligence: Evidence of systemic failures—such as ignoring reports of abuse, lack of staff supervision, or a culture of indifference—can significantly increase settlement amounts. If a correctional officer had prior complaints of misconduct that were ignored by prison officials, it could substantially strengthen a victim’s case.
What Is the Average Settlement for a CIW Sexual Abuse Lawsuit?
Survivors of sexual abuse at the California Institution for Women want to know what they can expect from a civil lawsuit in terms of settlement compensation. This is the right question. Civil lawsuits are ultimately about money, which is all the justice system can give you for what you endured.
While the outcomes will depend on the specifics of each case, current projections suggest that settlement amounts in CIW sexual abuse lawsuits may range from $400,000 to $600,000 per plaintiff. These settlement payouts are informed by past results in similar institutional abuse cases involving public correctional systems and law enforcement agencies.
This estimate reflects more than individual misconduct. It is grounded in the institutional failures of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation that we have been talking about, particularly its repeated failure to act on known risks. At CIW, officials received complaints, ignored them, and allowed accused staff to continue in positions of power. That pattern increases liability exposure and places additional weight behind legal claims.
The Scott Lee lawsuits are likely to fall at the higher end of our projected range. Dr. Lee served as the OB-GYN at CIW from 2016 to 2023 (good for the statute of limitations) and is accused of subjecting incarcerated women to invasive and medically unnecessary procedures. Several plaintiffs allege that after reporting the abuse, they were denied access to care or faced retaliation. When these facts are presented alongside evidence that CDCR failed to intervene despite earlier warnings… let’s just say the state will not be racing to the courthouse steps to try these cases in front of a jury. So it is easy to see higher settlement payouts than projections suggest for some women.
One guidepost in all of this is the recent detention center settlements in Los Angeles County, where the county will pay $4 billion to resolve sex abuse lawsuits. The average settlement amount in that case was nearly $600,000 per person. Although the setting differs from CIW, both situations involve incarcerated victims, repeated institutional warnings, and a pattern of abuse by authority figures inside state-controlled environments. Those cases will anchor settlement in future sex abuse settlements involving incarcerated victims, not just in California but nationwide.
Why the CIW Sexual Abuse Lawsuits Matter
The lawsuits filed by survivors are not just about the individual officers or medical personnel who violated their duties. They are about a system that let it happen. A system where reports of abuse were ignored or buried. A system where women were treated not as patients or people but as property. These are not isolated incidents. They are part of a broader pattern that spans multiple California women’s prisons, including CIW and Chowchilla.
The civil lawsuits arising from CIW reflect more than just legal claims. They reflect a demand for real answers. Why did the state allow Dr. Scott Lee to keep practicing at CIW for years after complaints surfaced? Why were women coerced into painful and unnecessary pelvic exams under the pretense of care? Why did prison officials do nothing?
CIW lawsuits are about restoring dignity to women who were denied it in the most intimate and vulnerable settings. They are about exposing the reality of how power works in places where people are easily forgotten. These women were sent to serve time, not to be assaulted or experimented on by someone with a medical license and unchecked access.
And no, the state is not going to give a heartfelt apology. That is not how bureaucracies work. The only remedy the civil justice system offers is money. Not as a payoff, but as a statement. As the law’s way of measuring harm, enforcing accountability, and trying, incredibly imperfectly, to make things right.
If the lawsuits succeed, they will not just compensate survivors. They will put pressure on the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to stop pretending these facilities are operating as intended. They will force public attention onto a place the state would prefer people forget. They might even prevent the next woman from being sexually abused.
Contact Us About CIW Sex Abuse Cases
If you were sexually abused as an inmate at CIW women’s prison, you may be able to file a lawsuit and get compensation. Reach out to us online or call 800-553-8082.