Created: 3/19/2009 5:20:12 PM 
JACKSONVILLE, FL -- The Florida Department of Corrections has been sued by a group of nurses who worked at numerous prisons across the state. More than 100 women are part of the lawsuit. They claim they were sexually harassed, by inmates, while on the job. One of those involved, is Sharon Brown-Tison, who worked at the Florida State Prison in Raiford. "E
Tison worked at FSP from 1989 to 2002. She says every day on the job she was harassed by numerous inmates as she handed out their medications.
"I felt like there should have been a little bit more protection against sexual harassment, and especially the sex acts they were allowed to do."
According to the lawsuit, all the women say they were ".....regularly subjected to sexual harassment." THe lawsuit goes on to say that inmates, "regularly exposed themselves....through the cell door windows. Others stood on commodes, on rolled up mattresses....(and) yelled sexual obscenities at the females."
Court records show that the prison staff and inmates called it gunning. "I went to the warden one time, several wardens, they said there was nothing they could do or would do. One's in federal prison now, so that took care of that," said Tison.
The women claim the department knew all along about the problem and failed to do anything.
Tison's hope now is the lawsuit will force change. "Something should be done to protect the integrity of the nursing staff."
The DOC says it has not received the lawsuit and cannot talk about it. The department says it is aware of the issue and is doing all it can to make sure employees are not subjected to poor inmate behavior.
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