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

NEW YORK, NY (05/23/2025) (readMedia)-- This morning, survivors, advocates, and lawmakers held 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 took place in Foley Square, steps away from the courthouses where both Harvey Weinstein and Sean 'Diddy' Combs are on trial for sex crimes.

WATCH A RECORDING OF THE PRESS CONFERENCE HERE.

There are major gaps in state law that make it harder for survivors to get justice by enabling abusers to weaponize the legal system and imposing unfair restrictions on how and when survivors can take civil action.

The Survivor Justice Agenda aims to close these gaps:

The 'Speak Your Truth Act' (A687 Gonzalez-Rojas / S2419 Hoylman-Sigal)

The Speak Your Truth Act would make it harder for abusers to weaponize defamation lawsuits against those who accuse them of sexual assault, harassment, or discrimination. It would ensure that when survivors speak out about their abuse, what they say is legally protected. If abusers bring defamation lawsuits against their accusers for speaking out and lose the case, the bill would require them to pay their accuser's attorneys fees and additional compensation for the harm they've caused. The bill is currently in the Assembly Governmental Operations Committee.

The 'Fair Access to Justice Act' (A649 Cruz / S844 Salazar)

Individuals abused in state custody, like prisons and state-run mental health facilities, are currently required to file a notice to the Court of Claims to seek justice within 90 days of their abuse. This is an unfair standard that leaves survivors vulnerable to retaliation by the person who harmed them. The Fair Access to Justice Act would increase this amount of time from 90 days to three years after release, with the clock starting on the release date. It also allows survivors to describe their abuse to the best of their knowledge without requiring them to report the specific time, date, and location of their abuse, removing the same unfair legal standard a New York appellate court recently upheld. The bill is currently in the Assembly Judiciary Committee.

Eliminating the Civil Statute of Limitations for Child Sex Abuse Cases (A1641 Rosenthal)

The civil statutes of limitation on child sexual abuse vary depending on the time of the crime. This bill creates a uniform standard for all survivors, and gives them the time they need to come forward with a claim. The bill is currently in the Assembly Codes Committee.

Expanding Corporate Liability in Sexual Misconduct Cases (A2420 Rosenthal /S3807 Hoylman-Sigal)

When individuals sue a company or its leaders for failing to supervise the employee who sexually abused them, they're now required to prove that the abuse happened on the company's property. This bill would remove this requirement, making it easier for survivors to hold corporate leaders accountable. The bill is currently in the Assembly Judiciary Committee.

This package of bills builds on the pro-survivor work the legislature has already done by passing the Child Victims Act and the Adult Survivors Act.

"Survivors shouldn't have to navigate burdensome legal obstacles that make it even harder to access the justice they deserve, and the justice that supports their healing," said Emily Miles, Executive Director of the NYC Alliance Against Sexual Assault. "Together, these bills not only eliminate unnecessary barriers, but also expand protections and open new pathways for survivors to pursue civil action against their abusers and enablers. I urge the legislature to pass these bills this session to send a clear message that New York stands with survivors."

"Silence protects abusers. I spoke out to ensure no other survivor would endure what I did. I spoke out to change laws and help survivors. In response, those in power tried to silence me. My abuser tried to silence me. No survivor should be stopped from pursuing justice. No survivor should be stopped from healing. No survivor should be stopped from speaking their truth or denied justice because they can't meet unrealistic legal standards. I urge Albany to pass the bills in this legislative package as soon as possible," said Katie Brennan, a candidate for New Jersey State Assembly and advocate who was sued for defamation by a high-ranking government official who sexually assaulted her.

"We represent women who have been abused, dismissed, devalued, and denied their basic rights and humanity. For too long, their voices have been silenced. These bills are not just policy - they are a lifeline. They offer a path to justice, recognition, and healing for the countless women who have waited too long to be heard," said Donna Hylton, Author, CEO; A Little Piece of Light, Activist, Speaker, Survivor.

"I know firsthand how both law and culture functioned as powerful forces that silence women in the system while shielding sexual predators from accountability. As I see in my work, many women can't speak about their experiences for years after, let alone within 90-days of their abuse. They fear violence and retaliation if they were to speak up soon after. This is a human rights issue and reproductive rights issues. These women I support in my work lost their childbearing years to prison, and being sexually abused was another attack on their ability to make their own decisions about their bodies. Right now, our laws protect the perpetrator. I myself am a survivor who was able to seek justice through the Adult Survivor's Act, and I want others to be able to do the same with these Survivor Justice bills. We need a paradigm shift for women to come forward and bills like this to allow women to come forward", said Noah Batsheva, Founder; Imani Safehouse, Advocate, and Survivor.

"As we strive for workplaces that are completely free from harassment and discrimination, we must also enhance the pathways to justice for those who experience it. This includes addressing existing legal loopholes that allow abusers to continue harming their victims, and letting enablers of abusers off the hook," said Erica Vladimer, Co-Founder of the Sexual Harassment Working Group. "Lawmakers cannot claim that everyone deserves to speak their truth while simultaneously leaving New Yorkers vulnerable to unjust defamation lawsuits and failing to hold accomplices accountable. Survivors already take significant risks, both professionally and personally, when they come forward. The Speak Your Truth Act is essential for making New York laws more focused on the needs of survivors, as is the bill to make it easier for survivors to hold corporations and their leaders accountable for sexual misconduct. Given that powerful men are already benefiting from these loopholes, and billion-dollar corporations are easily evading accountability for failing to supervise employees who engage in sexual misconduct, we must pass these critical measures as quickly as possible."

"New York's current anti-SLAPP law has a glaring loophole-one that leaves survivors vulnerable to retaliatory lawsuits designed to silence and intimidate them. It is outrageous to expect survivors to guard the reputations of their abusers while carrying the weight of their own trauma. Silence lets predators keep hunting and society benefits when these predators are exposed. The Speak Your Truth Act is New York's chance to change that. New York must act immediately to pass this bill," said Victoria Burke, Attorney and Adjunct Professor of Law, survivor, and architect of the Speak Your Truth model legislation passed in California and introduced in 16 states across the country this legislative session.

"When a convicted sexual offender can be elected to the highest office in the land, it's clear that we are not safe. Shame alone is not enough-we must take action to protect survivors. The Speak Your Truth Act ensures that survivors of sexual assault, harassment, or discrimination are protected from frivolous defamation lawsuits meant to silence them. We cannot keep allowing abusers to intimidate and retraumatize their victims-no matter who they are. This bill is about more than accountability; it's about ensuring that survivors have the power to speak out, protect others, and seek justice. As a survivor, I know firsthand how hard it is to come forward-and how crucial it is. The bills in the Survivor Justice Agenda package are just common sense. I urge my colleagues in the legislature to pass the Speak Your Truth Act and the full package-for the safety, dignity, and justice every New Yorker deserves," said Assembly Member Jessica González-Rojas.

"All too often, survivors of sexual abuse are made to feel powerless and ashamed. The Survivor Justice Agenda was designed to empower survivors and ensure their protection as they come forward with their stories," said Assemblymember Linda B. Rosenthal (D/WF - Manhattan), sponsor of the Child Victims Act and Adult Survivors Act. "The world is watching as two serial sexual abusers stand trial right now, in part because of our work to change laws here in New York State. We must take this opportunity to listen to survivors and update our laws to help more people seek justice through the courts. I am proud to partner with this coalition to hold abusers accountable through their suite of bills, which includes the passage of my bills to eliminate the antiquated statute of limitations on child sexual assault crimes and to ensure companies that ignore warnings about the predatory behavior of their employees can be held accountable."

"As a legislator, a lawyer, and a survivor, I've seen how our legal system is stacked against those who come forward after experiencing abuse, especially when that abuse happens behind bars," said Assemblymember Catalina Cruz. "Right now, survivors in state custody are given just 90 days to report what happened to them or risk losing their right to seek justice. That's not a path to healing; it is a system designed to silence survivors. The Fair Access to Justice Act gives individuals up to three years after release to file a case, and removes unnecessarily rigid requirements like needing to name the exact dates, times, and locations of their abuse. These changes are long overdue. Justice should meet survivors where they are-not push them further into the shadows."

"We should be making it easier, not harder, for survivors of sexual assault to seek the justice they deserve. Yet the State of New York shamefully forces incarcerated and formerly incarcerated New Yorkers who were sexually abused while in custody to jump through an endless number of legal hoops.The current process for these individuals is both unfair and unjust." said Senator Julia Salazar. "It's time to pass the Fair Access to Justice Act, which would eliminate unrealistic timelines that put survivors at risk of retaliation and would get rid of obstacles that don't exist if that same assault had happened outside of prison."

Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal said: "Defamation lawsuits should not be used to emotionally damage, financially strain, or silence survivors of sexual abuse. Unfortunately, powerful and wealthy individuals are currently using our legal system to do just that. We must pass our legislation to change this, the Speak Your Truth Act (S.2419). Our bill would make communications related to sexual assault classified as privileged in civil suits and therefore protected from being used in defamation lawsuits, allowing victims to "speak their truth," without fear of retribution. This bill, along with the full Survivors Justice Agenda, which includes our legislation that has already passed the Senate to remove the requirement for victims to prove that workplace related abuse occurred on company property (S.3807), will help ensure that our legal system is working for those who need it, rather than enabling or protecting abusers."