Potosi Woman Files Lawsuit against Missouri Department of Corrections

(Potosi) On July 2nd, the Missouri Department of Corrections was delivered a summons after a Washington County woman, on June 23rd in Cole County court, filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against the state’s prison system.

62-year-old Patricia Lawson of Potosi, a former employee at the Potosi prison, claims sexual harassment at her former work site, a hostile work environment and retaliation in violation of the Missouri Human Rights Act.

Lawson had worked at the prison in Potosi from mid-2007 to mid-2019.

The lawsuit describes many examples of abuse alleged by Lawson throughout her years working there.

She says male prison employees propositioned her for sex acts, they called her vulgar names, she alleges male correction officers actually threatened her one time with physical violence and there were other examples.

Lawson says she was fired for reporting the abuse to those higher up the chain in the State’s correctional system.

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