The enactment of the Adult Survivors Act in 2022 provided a one-year window from November 24, 2022, to November 24, 2023, for victims of sexual abuse to sue over that abuse outside the normal statute of limitations. Subsequently, hundreds of women filed suit against the New York Department of Correction (NYDOC) over mistreatment they experienced on Rikers Island. Their complaints detailed systemic sexual abuse and assault by correctional employees within the Rose M. Singer Center, which typically houses female residents either awaiting sentencing or already sentenced to less than one year of jail time.
While the window established by the act has now expired, the Rose M. Singer Center unfortunately has a long and sordid history of sexual assault allegations, many of which can still serve as valid grounds for Rikers Island sexual abuse lawsuits. If you were sexually assaulted while incarcerated in the Singer Center or any other facility on the island, the sexual abuse attorneys at Phillips Law Group can help you explore your options for civil recovery.
Under New York law, there are various circumstances under which one person cannot materially consent to sex with another person, regardless of either party’s age. This is generally due to an inherent power imbalance between the two parties involved. Sexual encounters between inmates in correctional facilities and staff members of those facilities are a textbook example of such a scenario, so a sexual interaction between an inmate and an employee of a correctional institution, such as Rikers Island, can never legally be considered anything other than sexual assault, which is illegal and can also be grounds for civil litigation.
Unfortunately, the “lookback window” created by the Adult Survivors Act closed on November 23, 2023, under the original legislation, and the New York City Victims of Gender-Motivated Violence Protection Law only extended that deadline for victims of sexual assault within the five boroughs to February 28, 2025. However, this law also established a nine-year statute of limitations for sexual abuse claims moving forward, which still represents a dramatic expansion of rights for sexual abuse victims in the city.
If a person has grounds to file suit over sexual abuse experienced on Rikers Island, the primary “defendant” in the claim need not necessarily be the specific person or people who assaulted them. While anyone who commits a sexual offense in New York can be held civilly liable for their actions, correctional employees are considered agents of NYDOC in a way that makes that department “vicariously liable” for the misconduct of its employees.
Furthermore, because civil lawsuits are subject to a less strict standard of proof than criminal cases, it is possible to file a successful lawsuit over a Rikers Island sexual assault even if the person or people who committed that assault were not convicted of or even charged with a crime. A compassionate legal professional can review potential filing options in detail during a confidential initial consultation.
No one deserves to be sexually assaulted or abused under any circumstances, and certainly not when they are being overseen by NYDOC employees with tremendous authority and power over them. Fortunately, there is substantial legal precedent in New York for holding abusive guards and correctional facilities financially liable for their mistreatment of inmates.
If you want to proactively enforce your right to civil recovery as others have done through Rikers Island sexual abuse lawsuits, you should strongly consider seeking help from the experienced team at Phillips Law Group. Call today to learn more.
(602) 222-2222 
