A female guard at a Chattanooga prison run by CoreCivic said she was repeatedly required to work alone with male inmates who sexually harassed, groped and attacked her, according to a federal lawsuit filed this week.

Coworkers repeatedly ignored the guard's calls for help — even during "code red" emergencies, the suit said. Staff at the prison shrugged off the guard's reports of harassment, according to the suit, with a supervisor telling her to "grow a tougher skin" and a human resources worker saying "boys will be boys," according to the lawsuit.

The guard quit in September and filed the complaint Wednesday in the U.S. District Court in Chattanooga, saying Silverdale Detention Center was a sexually hostile work environment. The guard is suing for back pay, emotional damages and reinstatement.

CoreCivic responds

"While we can't speak to the specifics of pending litigation, CoreCivic does not tolerate any forms of sexual abuse and harassment," CoreCivic spokeswoman Amanda S. Gilchrist said in an email. "We cooperate fully with any outside agency handling investigations of such matters."

The nine-page complaint described a series of "unwelcomed, severe, and pervasive" incidents of sexual harassment and assault in 2018.

"Despite Plaintiff’s repeated complaints and requests for assistance, management ignored her complaints, failed to take prompt remedial action toward the harassing inmates, and failed to provide a safe workplace free from severe sexual harassment and sexual assault by the male inmates," the suit stated.

The USA TODAY NETWORK - Tennessee does not typically name people who say they were victims of sexual assault.

"CoreCivic takes these allegations very seriously," Gilchrist said in an email. She cited "various types of training and have multiple options to report these types of allegations."

"Furthermore, inmates may be appropriately disciplined pending outcome of disciplinary reviews and/or hearings on these matters," Gilchrist said.

What the suit details

The suit listed five incidents that took place while the guard was left alone with groups of male inmates.

In June 2018, inmates began talking about having sex with the guard when "two of the inmates grabbed Plaintiff on the buttocks and refused to back away despite her repeated commands." The plaintiff issued an emergency “code red” call for help but "no one responded." Other inmates ultimately diffused the situation.

Also in June, inmates made "very graphic and violent" comments about sex with the plaintiff. After they refused her commands to return to their cells, she called "code red" again. A supervisor who responded told her to “Grow a tougher skin," adding "I can’t sit in here and hold your hand.”

In August, multiple inmates exposed themselves while one inmate made another round of "particularly aggressive" and threatening sexual comments. She was only able to leave the area "after repeated calls" for help. The inmate wasn't punished.

On Sep. 1, inmates repeatedly exposed themselves to the guard. A supervisor told the guard "to just ignore the inmates’ sexual behavior." Then, an inmate grabbed the guard, pulled her into his cell and then kissed and groped her. No one responded to the guard's "code red" emergency call, but she "somehow managed to escape."

On Sep. 4, multiple inmates told her to stay away from her attacker "for her own safety." Her original disciplinary report against the inmate was lost, but she "was too scared" to file another one.

The guard never returned to work after Sep. 4 because she was too frightened to return, according to the suit. She was subsequently diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder because of her experiences, the suit stated.

Reach Adam Tamburin at 615-726-5986 and atamburin@tennessean.com. Follow him on Twitter @tamburintweets.