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WARNING: This story discusses allegations of sexual abuse and may be upsetting.
Female inmates in the US faced a "night of terror" after a corrupt guard took bribes to allow male inmates to enter their cells, leading to horrific sexual assaults and rape.
Corrections officer David Lowe, 29, has been fired and charged after the attacks at Clark County Jail in Indiana last October.
A series of lawsuits have been filed, alleging that Lowe took bribes of US$1000 ($1597) to give keys for the female housing pod to male inmates for several hours.
At least two of the 28 women say they were raped, and others say they were sexually assaulted, harassed and intimated.
The men reportedly wrapped towels around their heads to hide their faces during the attacks, threatening the women with violence if they tried to summon help.
The lawsuits state the men repeatedly shouted about how long they had been without sexual contact as they went about the attacks.
They further claim that no other officers stepped in to stop the attacks, which left the women with significant injuries and sexually transmitted infections.
Former corrections officer David Lowe has been charged over the incident. Photo / Clark County Sheriff's Department
Instead of offering assistance, the initial response of corrections officers was to leave the lights on in the female housing pod for three days and nights straight.
The lawsuits also name Sheriff Jamey Noelas a defendant and say he failed to properly supervise and train the staff.
Clark County Sheriff's office placed the blame squarely on Lowe in a statement to the Daily Mail, saying that the attacks were "the result of the unforeseeable criminal actions of a rogue corrections officer".
"The individual in question chose to abandon his training, ethics and morals and made the unilateral decision to mortgage his career and future by allowing inmate access to the jail keys," they said.
They also suggested that the claims in the suit were exaggerated, saying their investigation showed collusion between inmates to invent elements of the lawsuits.
"The sheriff's detective division has continued to interview female inmates who were present in the pod that evening and these interviews have yielded information that is in direct opposition to the allegations made in the civil suit." the department said.
"Further the investigation seems to indicate that there was a systemic plan by individuals who were incarcerated that evening to develop the narrative that makes up the crux of the claims in the civil case."
SEXUAL HARM - DO YOU NEED HELP?
If it's an emergency and you feel that you or someone else is at risk, call 111. If you've ever experienced sexual assault or abuse and need to talk to someone contact the Safe to Talk confidential crisis helpline on: • Text 4334 and they will respond • Email support@safetotalk.nz • Visit https://safetotalk.nz/contact-us/ for an online chat Alternatively contact your local police station - click here for a list. If you have been abused, remember it's not your fault.
