Survivors, Advocates, and Lawmakers Rally in Manhattan To Expand Protections for Survivors of Sexual Violence

NEW YORK, NY (05/22/2025) (readMedia)-- On Friday, survivors, advocates, and lawmakers will hold a press conference calling on the legislature to pass, and the Governor to sign into a law, key pieces of legislation that will put power back in the hands of survivors of sexual abuse in New York. The press conference will take place in Foley Square, steps away from the courthouses where both Harvey Weinstein and Sean 'Diddy' Combs are on trial for sex crimes.

Last week, Cassie Ventura testified in Diddy's criminal trial about the years of sexual and physical abuse Diddy subjected her to. She first came forward in a civil suit against Diddy under the Adult Survivors Act (ASA), legislation that allowed her-and thousands of others, including a Weinstein survivor-to sue their abusers regardless of when the abuse occurred. But the ASA's lookback window to bring these civil suits has closed, as has a similar one that allowed survivors of child sexual abuse to sue even if the statute of limitations had previously expired. Now, countless survivors are left with little to no legal recourse.

The coalition will draw attention to these and other major gaps in New York law that make it harder for survivors to access justice and call for legislation that would close these gaps.

WATCH A LIVESTREAM OF THE PRESS CONFERENCE HERE.

The Survivor Justice Agenda legislative package includes:

• The 'Speak Your Truth Act' (A687 Gonzalez-Rojas / S2419 Hoylman-Sigal), which would make it harder for abusers to weaponize defamation lawsuits against survivors of sexual assault, harassment, and discrimination;
• The 'Fair Access to Justice Act' (A649 Cruz / S844 Salazar), which would allow people abused in state custody to seek justice up to three years after release, starting on the day of release, instead of within 90 days of their abuse. It would also ease the time, date, and location, requirements for filing a claim against the state;
• A bill to eliminate the civil statute of limitations for child sex abuse cases (A1641 Rosenthal); and
• A bill that would allow survivors to sue a company or its leaders for failing to supervise the employee who sexually abused them without having to prove that the abuse happened on the company's property (A2420 Rosenthal /S3807 Hoylman-Sigal).

WHO:
Emily Miles, Executive Director of the New York City Alliance Against Sexual Assault.

Katie Brennan, who was sexually assaulted by a senior government official and then sued for defamation.

Donna Hylton, Author, CEO; A Little Piece of Light, Activist, Speaker, Survivor.

Noah Batsheva, Founder; Imani Safehouse, Advocate, and Survivor.

Assemblymember Catalina Cruz, who sponsors the Fair Access to Justice Act in the Assembly.

Assemblymember Linda Rosenthal, who sponsors the bill to eliminate the civil statute of limitation for the CVA, and the bill to make it easier for survivors to sue companies and their leaders for failing to supervise employees who sexually abuse them.

State Senator Julia Salazar, who sponsors the Fair Access to Justice Act in the Senate.

WHERE:

Foley Square

WHEN:

Friday, May 23rd, 10AM ET