The plaintiff in the case has been transferred to another jail in Virginia.
A former jail corrections officer, Richard Walter Zacofsky, has already been convicted of a felony count of carnal knowledge of an inmate for having sex with the woman.
He received a suspended sentence as part of a plea agreement.
The lawsuit alleges that the jail authority operated “an institution which has as a matter of custom and usage tolerated sexual abuse of female inmates by male correctional personnel.”
The suit named 22 staff members of the jail staff as defendants and said they were “indifferent to and recklessly disregarded” the woman’s sexual victimization.
The suit asks for actual and punitive damages against all defendants, but did not specify an amount for damages.
It also asks for an injunction to provide for her security should she be returned to the Rappahannock Regional Jail in the future.
The plaintiff in the case is serving sentences for multiple traffic offenses, including her fourth offense of driving under the influence, and grand larceny, according to online court information.
Jail superintendent Joseph Higgs said yesterday he has not been served with suit so he could not comment on it.
The lawsuit was filed by Alexandria lawyer Victor Glasberg.
- Dick Hammerstrom