(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — More than 500 current and former female employees of the Cook County Sheriff's office have signed onto a lawsuit against the sheriff's office and Cook County, saying nothing's been done about inmates sexually harassing them.
There was a class action lawsuit, but an appeals court took that status away. Now, the women have had to join the lawsuit individually.
Two of the plaintiffs spoke out Thursday about what they say they endured inside the jail workplace with male detainees.
"Once they hear a female's voice they would expose themselves," Barbara Unseld said.
Unseld retired recently after 30 years at the sheriff's office.
"This has affected my personal life. The conditions for the women in the jail are unsafe, and unless this problem is rectified by the sheriff, we have women that are walking away from this job."
"I would just like to ask Sheriff Dart if it even came close to home," another plaintiff, Bonnie Parker, said. "His wife, his daughter — any female that he knew — worked at that jail for 30 days and endured this type of behavior, would he be more considerate in providing a safe work environment for them?"
The sheriff's office said it takes sexual misconduct by inmates seriously.
It has taken steps, "including the use of specialized jumpsuits and new cuffing procedures, increased disciplinary consequences, filing of new criminal charges against offenders, and efforts to pass state laws that would strengthen the Office's ability to protect its employees."
