Washington Inmate Sues After Attack by Male Prisoner Housed in Women's Facility Under Gender-Identity Policy

Key facts

• Faith Booher-Smith, a female inmate at Washington Corrections Center for Women, filed a federal lawsuit after an August 2025 attack.
• The alleged attacker, Christopher Williams, is a 6-foot-4 biologically intact male and convicted child sex offender housed under gender-identity policy.
• Williams allegedly struck Booher-Smith, grabbed her hair, threw her to the ground, and kicked her repeatedly in a common area.
• Booher-Smith suffered facial bruising, swelling, and a laceration inside her mouth.
• A corrections official at a previous prison had warned against Williams' transfer due to his history of violence.
• The lawsuit is backed by the Foundation Against Intolerance & Racism (FAIR) and supported by the America First Policy Institute.
• Washington's policy allows inmates to request gender-affirming housing based on self-identification with limited objective requirements.

Assault in a Common Area

A female inmate in Washington state is suing corrections officials after she says she was brutally attacked by a male-born prisoner housed in a women’s prison under the state’s gender-identity housing policy. Faith Booher-Smith, incarcerated at the Washington Corrections Center for Women, alleges in a federal lawsuit that she was violently assaulted by inmate Christopher Williams, a convicted sex offender who had been transferred to the prison after identifying as female. According to the complaint, the August 2025 assault occurred in a common area. Williams allegedly approached Booher-Smith from behind, struck her in the face, grabbed her hair, and threw her to the ground before kicking her repeatedly. She suffered visible injuries including facial bruising, swelling, and a laceration inside her mouth, the filing states.

Policy Under Fire

The lawsuit argues that the attack was the predictable result of a policy that allows inmates to be housed based on gender identity rather than biological sex. At the center of the case is Washington’s policy permitting inmates to request placement in so-called gender-affirming housing. According to the filing, that process allows male inmates to transfer into women’s facilities and in some cases share cells, bathrooms, and showers with female prisoners. The complaint contends that the policy relies heavily on self-identification with limited objective requirements for transfer. It alleges that the housing of male inmates with females has led to multiple instances of violence and sexual abuse against female inmates.

Warnings Ignored

Williams, described in the filing as a 6-foot-4 biologically intact male and convicted child sex offender, was transferred into the women’s facility despite prior concerns about his behavior. A corrections official at a previous prison had warned against the transfer due to Williams’ history of violence, the complaint alleges. Those warnings were ultimately not followed. The lawsuit, backed by the Foundation Against Intolerance & Racism (FAIR) and supported by the America First Policy Institute, argues that the state's policy created a foreseeable risk. The case highlights broader debates over housing transgender inmates in U.S. prisons, a subject that has drawn executive action from President Donald Trump, who issued an order mandating inmates be housed according to biological sex.

National Context

The incident in Washington is part of a larger national conversation about prison policies and inmate safety. Across the United States, nearly two million people are incarcerated in prisons and jails, with more than two of every five locked up having been diagnosed with a mental disorder. Meanwhile, changes in mail policies have severely restricted privileges, with at least 78% of the country's nearly 1.2 million prisoners now barred from directly receiving physical mail. In another development, a February 2026 review of mail policies at 250 of the largest U.S. jail systems, which together hold over half the country’s detainees, revealed that almost 62% have instituted policies banning physical mail except for legal mail. These shifts reflect a broader trend of tightening controls within correctional facilities.

Legal and Policy Implications

The lawsuit raises questions about the balance between respecting gender identity and ensuring safety in prisons. Washington's policy, which relies on self-identification, is now under judicial scrutiny. The outcome could influence similar policies in other states and at the federal level. Booher-Smith's case also echoes concerns raised by exonerees who face roadblocks after release, including difficulty finding employment. While her case is about conditions inside prison, it underscores the lasting impact of incarceration policies on individuals' lives.

What Comes Next

The federal lawsuit will proceed through the courts, with potential implications for Washington's gender-affirming housing policy. The state corrections department has not publicly commented on the specific allegations. Meanwhile, advocates on both sides of the issue are watching closely. As the legal process unfolds, the case serves as a flashpoint in the ongoing debate over transgender rights and prison safety. It remains to be seen whether the court will find the state liable for the attack and whether policy changes will follow.

The bottom line

• Faith Booher-Smith alleges she was attacked by a male inmate housed in a women's prison under Washington's gender-identity housing policy.
• The attacker, Christopher Williams, is a convicted sex offender with a history of violence, and a prior warning about him was ignored.
• The policy relies on self-identification with limited objective requirements, which the lawsuit argues creates risks.
• The case is backed by FAIR and the America First Policy Institute, highlighting national divisions on transgender inmate housing.
• The lawsuit could set a precedent for how states balance gender identity policies with inmate safety.
• Broader prison trends show increasing restrictions on inmate privileges, such as mail bans, amid ongoing debates over incarceration conditions.