Women in S.F. jail say they were forced to undress while deputies filmed them

"At least 20 women being held in a San Francisco jail say a group of sheriff's deputies earlier this year ordered women to strip down in front of each other while the deputies laughed and filmed them with their body cameras. "I'm still having nightmares about it," said one of the women, who Mission Local agreed to keep anonymous after they expressed fears of retaliation. Many of the women who reported being searched are still incarcerated, their attorneys said."

""This Claim arises from a mass, unlawful, and degrading strip search of women housed in the B-Pod of the San Francisco County Jail on May 22, 2025, and from continuing harassment, intimidation, and gender-based violence by deputies in the days and weeks that follows," Bertolino wrote in the claim. Multiple women "were forced to strip in an open setting, were subjected to visual body cavity searches, and were required either to undergo or to witness these invasive searches while male deputies, some armed with weapons, stood by watching, laughing, and making comments," the claim said."

"Late this afternoon, 17 women filed a claim with the city alleging that the deputies violated multiple laws and policies. It is the first step toward filing a state or federal lawsuit, their attorney Elizabeth Bertolino said. Seven of the women involved in the claim were allegedly subjected to searches, and the other 10 were allegedly forced to watch. However, attorneys and women Mission Local spoke to said that about 20 women in total had been forced to undress while others watched."

At least 20 women held in the San Francisco County Jail allege that sheriff's deputies ordered them to strip in front of each other while deputies laughed and filmed with body-worn cameras. Seventeen women filed a claim alleging violations of laws and policies and seeking the first step toward state or federal lawsuits. Seven women were allegedly searched and ten others forced to watch; attorneys and inmates say about 20 were made to undress. The claim describes visual body-cavity searches, male deputies armed and watching, and a supervising sergeant who taunted that nude videos could be posted online. Potential damages could be substantial if allegations are substantiated.

Read at Mission Local