Q&A
Debate on verbal statements as sexual abuse
2:13:02
·
153 sec
Council Member Cabán questions DOC officials about their classification and investigation of verbal sexual abuse. The discussion reveals:
- DOC does not classify verbal statements of a sexual nature as sexual abuse, but as sexual harassment
- Investigations of verbal harassment rely on body language and behavior rather than audio recordings
- Cabán expresses concern that the current system does not adequately account for verbal sexual abuse
- The distinction between sexual abuse and sexual harassment in DOC's policies and federal standards
Tiffany Cabán
2:13:02
I'M GOING TO I WANT TO COPY of that.
2:13:05
And I just I am still reeling from the idea that it go we all just know what inappropriate.
2:13:13
Yeah.
2:13:15
Y'all I I I need a second.
2:13:24
Okay.
2:13:27
Let me ask you this then to get into more specifics.
2:13:30
Would did the Department of Corrections include for example making verbal statements of a sexual nature as sexual abuse?
Ingris Martinez
2:13:39
No.
2:13:39
The standards are very specific.
2:13:42
When it comes to verbal harassment, we take the allegation, we investigate it, collect all business records, review all kinds of video.
2:13:54
We do the
Tiffany Cabán
2:13:55
But you're talking about verbal statements.
Ingris Martinez
2:13:57
Verbal statements, and we treat it as a full investigation of one time.
2:14:01
For under the federal standards for it to be under the 90 day mandate, then it has to be repeated.
2:14:07
But how do we know it's repeated, unless we first record the first time we have?
Tiffany Cabán
2:14:12
My specific question is, are making verbal statements of a sexual nature Would you include that as sex abuse?
Ingris Martinez
2:14:20
It is under the sexual harassment
Tiffany Cabán
2:14:23
for verbal.
2:14:24
And you just said that, like, again, you went back to saying you look to see if there is recording of that language.
Ingris Martinez
2:14:30
No.
2:14:31
No.
2:14:31
Audio language.
2:14:32
We're looking for behavior.
2:14:34
On on the behavior.
2:14:36
Okay.
Tiffany Cabán
2:14:37
So when it comes to sexual abuse, you're looking for physical behavior.
2:14:40
You are not looking for verbal behavior.
Ingris Martinez
2:14:45
Our Genentech system is not equipped with audio devices.
Tiffany Cabán
2:14:49
Okay.
2:14:49
But again, when we talk about the preponderance of evidence and somebody makes an accusation that they're experiencing verbal sexual abuse, you do not need an audio recording to reach a preponderance of the evidence.
Ingris Martinez
2:15:06
No.
2:15:06
We will use the the activity, the body language.
2:15:10
They they they mentioned
Tiffany Cabán
2:15:12
So what you're telling me is that your system, your process, does 9 in any way account for verbal sexual abuse?
Ingris Martinez
2:15:21
That's what you're absolutely we do.
Tiffany Cabán
2:15:24
You have you just send a harassment.
2:15:27
So you do not count you would not count it as abuse, you would only count it as harassment.
Ingris Martinez
2:15:33
It's under the definition for the federal standards.
2:15:35
Yes.
Tiffany Cabán
2:15:36
I think that's a problem.
