DENVER - Colorado reached a $170,000 settlement with a transgender woman who sued the state and alleged being raped, assaulted and harassed while held in a men’s prison, state officials said Wednesday. Paula Greisen said the lawsuit filed by Lindsay Saunders-Velez initiated conversations with the Department of Corrections about changes that could improve conditions for transgender women. They said corrections officials review each inmate on a “case-by-case basis” to determine which prison they should be kept at, with regular input from medical and mental health providers. The agencies also highlighted inmates’ ability to purchase items that match their gender identity, including women’s undergarments, and ongoing training for prison staff on working with transgender offenders. The suit also said prison staff denied her requests to be called Lindsay and be identified with female pronouns.

Source: thestar July 10, 2019 23:15 UTC