SNAP applauds New York’s Adult Survivors Act (ASA) likely to pass in the Assembly

(For Immediate Release May 19, 2022) 

This legislation is a window of time to allow individuals who were 18 or older when they were sexually assaulted in New York State to file a lawsuit against the person who harmed them and/or the negligent institution.

We are very happy to be part of an incredible coalition led by Safe Horizon and thrilled to celebrate today’s news from New York’s State Assembly. The announcement that the Assembly plans to pass the Adult Survivors Act is a huge victory for survivors’ rights in New York. Brave survivors of sexual abuse poured out their stories, re-visited their trauma, and made time to advocate so a safer world can be lived in, their strength has won. “Safe Horizon is grateful to our coalition and community of survivors, advocates, and lawmakers – especially our bill sponsors and champions in the Legislature, Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, and– as well as the Speaker of the Assembly, Carl Heastie for making this a reality. We look forward to this momentous vote.”

 

This bill is a monumental step forward and brings much-needed reform to the archaic laws that prevent survivors from coming forward and allow abusers to escape justice and hurt others. We too are grateful to not only Senator Brad Hoylman and Assemblymember Linda Rosenthal and colleagues, but the dedicated survivors and advocates who have worked so hard to create this opportunity for reform.

We believe all survivors deserve to have their day in court and hope that other states will follow in New York’s footsteps and work on their own version of this important legislation. We hope that the passage of the ASA will encourage victims of sexual violence, no matter their age or where their abuse occurred, to come forward and seek the justice they deserve. And we hope that those who may have reported in the past but were ignored or fell victim to archaic, predator-friendly laws will find the strength to go through the process one more time in order to find healing. 

CONTACT: Mike McDonnell, SNAP Communications Manager ([email protected] 267-261-0578) Zach Hiner, SNAP Executive Director ([email protected], 517-974-9009) Shaun Dougherty, SNAP Board President ([email protected] 814-341-8386)

(SNAP, the Survivors Network, has been providing support for victims of sexual abuse in institutional settings for 30 years. We have more than 25,000 survivors and supporters in our network. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org)

 


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