The women trapped in prison with their abusers: ‘They hold my life in their hands’

As California prosecutes a prison guard on 96 charges, survivors behind bars say officer abuse is so widespread it feels inescapable: ‘All I know is how to survive’

Latasha Brown sat at a picnic table in the visiting area of the California Institution for Women, just out of earshot of a guard standing watch. It was a hot morning in July and the 42-year-old spoke softly.

“There’s liberty in deciding not to live in fear any more,” she said.