Westhab’s Windham Residence shall comply with the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) of 2003. PREA
mandates the elimination, reduction, and prevention of sexual assault and rape in prisons, jails, and,
community confinement facilities (half-way houses) housing adult male and female residents such as the
Residential Parole Program and Residential Reentry Program operated by Westhab Inc.
In compliance with PREA, Westhab has a zero-tolerance stance towards all forms of sexual abuse and sexual
harassment. This policy is applicable to residents, staff, volunteers, visitors and contractors. The zero-
tolerance stance includes education, prevention, detection and responding to sexual abuse and sexual
harassment incidents immediately.
All residents protected under PREA are prohibited from engaging in sexual contact with each other. All sexual
contact between residents is deemed to be non-consensual and consent is not an affirmative defense, due to
the custodial status of residents. Westhab strictly prohibits any sexual contact between staff and residents,
and expects staff to keep professional boundaries in all of their interactions with residents. Sexual contact
between staff and residents is deemed to be non-consensual under all circumstances. Consent is not an
affirmative defense to sexual contact between staff and resident, due to the custodial status of residents, and
the unequal nature of the relationship.
All staff, contractors, volunteers and visitors who have contact with residents protected by PREA in a Westhab
facility are required to report any knowledge or suspicion of sexual abuse or harassment of a resident as
outlined in the site’s First Responder Protocol. All contract Swift corrective action will occur if residents, staff,
volunteers, visitors or contractors violate PREA standards.
Westhab has not received any reports of sexual abuse/harassment at the Windham Residence.
You can read the latest PREA annual report here.