Colorado Coalition Against Sexual Assault (CCASA)

05/13/2026

Happy sine die! Today marks the close of Colorado’s 2026 legislative session—120 days of advocating for survivor-centered policies that increase accountability, remove barriers to services and support, promote healing, and prevent harm.

To the survivors, coalition members, partners, and advocates who showed up alongside us every step of the way: thank you.

Thank you for the countless hours and unwavering commitment to this work. Thank you for sharing your stories, your expertise, and your vision. And thank you for fighting for a safer, more just Colorado for survivors. None of this progress happens without you.

We’re proud of what we achieved together this session and grateful to be part of such a powerful community. Stay tuned for our final 2026 legislative tally!

05/08/2026

🎉🎉🎉 We’re thrilled to announce that HB1123, Preventing Sexual Abuse in Jails, has passed the Colorado General Assembly! 🎉🎉🎉

It now heads to the desk of Governor Jared Polis for his signature.

No one deserves to face sexual violence, but people in jail are especially vulnerable to it.

This landmark legislation honors what survivors and whistleblowers have called for since the high-profile case at the La Plata County Jail came to light last year: to prevent the same abuses from happening to anyone else.

HB1123’s provisions were developed directly from survivors’ lived experiences and in collaboration with experts and communities impacted by sexual violence in jails.

Specifically, this legislation will...

👉 limit strip searches and access to these intimate video recordings
👉 establish new reporting requirements and whistleblower protections for jail staff
👉 ensure that people held in Colorado’s jails are informed about their rights to be protected from sexual violence and their ability to access community-based sexual assault advocacy services

Thank you to all of you in our community who testified, contacted your legislators, and took action with us to make sure this bill passed!

The CCASA team is grateful for the leadership of the bill’s sponsors (particularly Katie for Colorado, who represents La Plata County in the House), the support of our partners, and most of all, the voices of the survivors who fought for this change.

To Katrina, Shrell, Suzanne, Raven, and all survivors who have experienced sexual violence while incarcerated: What happened to you never should have happened. We are so honored to do this work alongside you, and we hope this victory brings you some peace as you move forward. Thank you. 💙

05/08/2026

✨👖 Finally, we want to thank our Denim Defender sponsors -- LawMother, Howes Wolf, and PufCreativ -- for supporting this year! These longtime partnerships make CCASA's work possible, and we appreciate you continuing to show up for us. 🩵

05/08/2026

✨👖Thank you to Alpine Bank for supporting this year! As one of your proud nonprofit customers, CCASA appreciates the day-to-day work your team does for us. 🩵

05/08/2026

✨👖 We greatly appreciate our longtime partnership with Boomerang Marketing! They created our Colorado website and logo, and we simply could not do this work every year without them. Check them out at boomerangzone.com for extraordinary design, web development, and marketing support. 🩵

05/07/2026

👖✨ If you loved the printed materials and CCASA logo signs that we had at our Party last week, you should check out Ken's Print + Graphics! This family business has two locations in Denver, and they generously donated their services for our event. Learn more at kensprints.com. 🩵

Photos by Marilee.co Photography - Portrait, Brand and Product

05/06/2026

👖✨ We're so grateful for Animal Handmade's support! A lucky guest at our Party last week went home with this beautiful care package of handmade leather items from their shop. Check out more of their artistry at animalhandmade.com. 🩵

Photo by Marilee.co Photography - Portrait, Brand and Product

05/06/2026

👖✨We can’t wait to share photos and a big fundraising update after last week’s Party! In the meantime, we want to keep shouting out our generous sponsors like Bachus & Schanker for their support.

Nothing we do — from helping survivors change laws to training the professionals who serve survivors every day — would be possible without our community. Thank you. 🩵

05/01/2026

Survivors like Katrina have fought hard for HB1123, a bill to prevent sexual abuse in Colorado's jails. This urgently needed legislation is nearing a vote before the full Senate.

Click here to urge your senator to vote YES: https://actionnetwork.org/letters/vote-yes-on-hb26-1123-prevent-sexual-abuse-in-jails

We’re in awe of these survivors who continue to tell their stories so that no one else will have to experience what they did at the La Plata County Jail.

To the survivors: this never should have been able to happen to you, and you shouldn’t have to fight for this change. We’re grateful to do this work alongside you, SASO Sexual Assault Services Organization, and the bill’s sponsors Katie for Colorado, Rep. Javier Mabrey, Sen. Mike Weissman, and Senator Judy Amabile. 🩵

Yesterday's full story from 9NEWS (KUSA):
https://www.9news.com/article/news/local/local-politics/strip-searches-watched-without-consent-survivors-bill/73-c1e93dc5-7ff7-47ef-af44-bcbf161ef26e

Survivors are taking action at the CO capitol after a former jail commander in Durango was accused of watching thousands of videos of inmates being strip searched.

05/01/2026

Friends: our team is SO grateful to everyone who attended last night’s Party at Champagne Tiger, donated, and wore denim in solidarity with survivors. 🩵

We are a tiny staff and had lots happening on the legislative side of things today (see: the action alert on HB1123, the bill to prevent sexual abuse in jails).

But we can’t wait to have more time tomorrow to share updates on yesterday’s success, photos from the party (thanks to Marilee.co Photography - Portrait, Brand and Product!) and more of the amazing Colorado Denim Day photos you tagged us in. You are all amazing.