Of all the damning, disgusting, shameful findings in a federal report on Alabama's prison for women, this one stands out: At least one prisoner gave birth to a child after being raped by a prison employee.

And there appears to have been no serious consequences for the rapist.

Let's not have talk of consensual sex as an excuse. When a woman is in prison, any "consent" to relations with a guard or other employee is based on coercion. It's rape.

While there might not have been other children of rape at Tutwiler Prison for Women in Wetumpka, there is no doubt this rape was not an isolated incident.

A report from the U.S. Department of Justice last week found that conditions at Alabama's only prison for women are unconstitutional, based on rampant cases of sexual abuse by prison personnel against inmates over the last 20 years.

Last week, the DOJ released the details of an investigation conducted in April 2013. An initial story by AL.com reporter Mike Cason and an overview story by AL.com reporter Kelsey Stein lay out in embarrassing and shameful detail what the report calls a "toxic, sexualized environment" at Tutwiler.

- A third of the staff has been identified as having sex with inmates.

- More than half of the staff has been involved in some type of sexual misconduct with inmates.

- 233 current inmates sent corroborating letters describing "dehumanizing" behavior by some staff members.

- In at least one case, an officer fathered a child with an inmate.

- Women at Tutwiler are routinely forced to trade sex for necessities, such as toiletries and uniforms, and also for contraband like drugs and alcohol.

- Prisoners who have reported sexual misconduct have been either threatened or punished.

- Inappropriate sexual behavior continued at the prison up to just days before the investigation was conducted.

Prison officials have been aware of sexual misconduct at Tutwiler since at least 1995, according to the report. Yet, investigations have been less than thorough, and discipline has often been little more than a slap on the wrist.

It's obvious that a culture of sexual misconduct has developed at Tutwiler. Those in charge have either been complicit or highly incompetent. In either case, they've demonstrated over two decades an inability or an unwillingness to correct what appears to be a systemic disgrace.

ADOC Commissioner Kim Thomas said he looks forward to working with DOJ to "hopefully find resolution without the necessity of imposing some court action."

His response was tepid and weak, showing more concern about protecting the prison system than protecting the prisoners under his watch.

The state should fire those employees whose misconduct can be established. Prosecute those for whom evidence of criminal behavior is solid. Disperse the rest. Start over with new leadership and new staff, in a decentralized approach.

There is no more room for waffling on this issue. The women at Tutwiler are convicted criminals, but they're also daughters and sisters and mothers and deserve to at least be treated within the bounds of the law by law-enforcement officials.

This is a shameful stain on Alabama. Our state cannot claim to be a civilized place unless decisive action is taken.

Tutwiler prison, this hellhole of abuse a half-hour from the capital in Montgomery, must be shut down.

Most of the nearly 1,000 prisoners there are convicted of non-violent crimes. Earlier recommendations to close Tutwiler and confine those prisoners in smaller jails throughout the state went unheeded. It's time for Gov. Robert Bentley and Alabama's legislators need to show leadership.

Close Tutwiler.

Now.

This editorial was written by AL.com Vice President for Content Michelle Holmes and Birmingham Community News Director Anthony Cook for the Alabama Media Group Editorial Board.