In this state, female inmates were subjected to systemic sexual violence by prison employees for decades. Survivors of this abuse have the right to pursue financial compensation for the harm it caused.
Reach out to an attorney at Phillips Law Group to discuss the New York women’s prison sexual abuse lawsuits. Depending on your age and when the abuse occurred, you may be eligible to file a legal claim against your abusers and their enablers.
For decades, there have been clear indications of sexual abuse of female inmates. As far back as the ’80s, the state legislature investigated reports of guards impregnating female prisoners at correctional facilities. Since then, numerous guards and prison employees have been criminally convicted of sex crimes against inmates, and many others have been named in civil lawsuits.
In 2020, five former inmates filed a federal lawsuit alleging that the state’s corrections department failed to protect inmates from sexual abuse. The suit alleges the department did not respond appropriately to complaints and took active measures to cover up incidents of staff-on-inmate sexual abuse.
Phillips Law Group is representing women who were sexually abused at Albion, Bedford Hills, and the now-closed Bayville facilities, as well as jails and prisons in New York City. It is pursuing compensation for eligible women who were sexually exploited or abused by prison employees while incarcerated.
In this state, an adult must file a lawsuit for mental and physical harm within three years of their injury. Suing for sexual abuse is considered a personal injury lawsuit and falls within the three-year timeline. The sexual abuse of prisoners is also a violation of federally guaranteed civil rights, but the same statute of limitations applies.
However, New York Civil Practice Law and Rules § 213-c allows survivors of some sex crimes 20 years to file a civil lawsuit. This law took effect on September 18, 2019, and is not retroactive. Any woman who was 18 or older when they were sexually assaulted at a New York prison should contact Phillips Law Group about pursuing legal action. If the abuse occurred after September 18, 2019, and depending on the details of the conduct, the 20-year statute of limitations may apply.
Sexual abuse often has a lasting impact, damaging a survivor’s self-esteem and impacting their ability to find happiness and fulfillment. When someone with power over a survivor’s life imprisons and abuses them, the trauma can be devastating. Survivors may have been forced to comply to protect themselves and avoid further mistreatment.
Individuals experiencing physical or psychological symptoms due to the sexual trauma they experienced while incarcerated in a New York correctional facility for women can seek financial compensation. Phillips Law Group can help them document the effects of the abuse to ensure their compensation reflects its severity.
The New York women’s prison sexual abuse lawsuits provide an opportunity to hold abusers and the systems that protected them accountable. If you are ready to tell your story, contact Phillips Law Group today for a free, no-obligation consultation. The firm is committed to securing justice for the victims of institutional sexual abuse.
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