Adult Sexual Abuse Act and Sexual Abuse at Bayview Correctional Facility Lawyer

In May of 2022, the governor of New York passed the Adult Survivors Act. The Adult Survivors Act created a one-time opportunity for survivors of sexual abuse at institutions such as Bayview Correctional Facility in Manhattan to pursue justice against their abusers in cases where their claims would otherwise be time-barred. There is overwhelming evidence that inmates of the now closed Bayview Correctional Facility had been subjected to widespread sexual abuse by correctional officers. In the past, the reports of abuse were basically ignored. Things have changed. If you were incarcerated at Bayview Correctional Facility and were sexually abused by a correctional officer or other prison official, contact an experienced New York sexual abuse lawyer at Stephen Bilkis & Associates. We are here to take action on your behalf and fight for the justice you deserve.

Bayview Correctional Facility was a medium security prison for women. Like so many other prisons for women over the years there have been many reports of inmates being victims of sexual assault by correctional officers. In fact, former correctional officers such as James Ford, Jr. have been charged with sexual assault and sentenced to prison for multiple counts of sexual assault.

Bayview closed in 2012 due to structural damage from Hurricane Sandy. Even though no inmates have been housed in Bayview Correctional Facility since 2012 and even though the statute of limitations for sexual assault-based personal injury claims expired years ago, because of the Adult Survivors Act, victims of sexual abuse at Bayview Correctional Facility still have an opportunity to file claims and demand compensation. However, because the timeframe for filing claims is limited, it is critical for victims to immediately contact an experienced New York sexual abuse lawyer. Under the Adult Survivors Act, the window for filing claims is November 24, 2022 to November 23, 2023.

The Adult Survivors Act gives victims of a sexual abuse at Bayview Correctional Facility the opportunity to pursues compensation from those who were responsible for their abuse even though the statute of limitations expired years ago or even decades ago. Victims of sexual abuse just like any injured victim of violence have the right to sue the culprits for monetary damages. Any type of sex crime can serve as the basis for a civil lawsuit, including:

• sexual misconduct
• rape
• criminal sexual acts
• forcible touching
• sexual abuse
• sexual assault

While some offenders have already been criminally prosecuted, it is not necessary that the offender to have been criminally charged or convicted of a crime. As an experienced sexual abuse attorney in New York can explain, as long as the victim suffered damages as the result of the sexual attack, they have the right to pursue compensation through a civil lawsuit. They can seek compensation based on both monetary losses and nonmonetary losses including:

• Medical bills. Medical bills include any expenses that victim had to pay for for physical injuries that resulted from the sexual assault as well as bills for psychological counseling and therapy.
• Lost wages and loss of future earning capacity. Victims who were unable to work while recovering from their physical and psychological injuries can demand compensation for lost wages.
• Pain and suffering. Pain and suffering damages compensates the victim for both the physical pain and the psychological damage caused by the sexual assault.
• Punitive damages. Punitive damages are awarded in cases where the actions of the defendant were so outrageous that that they should be punished through assessing a monetary penalty. Because of the position of power that a correctional officer has over an inmate and the unique dynamic between inmates and correctional officers, courts may find it appropriate to award punitive damages.

Sexual abuse in prison is wrong. Correctional officers who victimized inmates at Bayview Correctional Facility by sexually abusing them need to be held accountable. If you or an inmate you know were sexually abused while serving time at Bayview, the experienced sexual abuse attorneys serving New York at Stephen Bilkis & Associates can help. Contact us at 800.696.9529 to schedule a free, no obligation consultation regarding your case. We represent victims of sexual abuse in Manhattan, Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, Nassau County, Suffolk County, Long Island, and Westchester County.