New York City Sex Abuse Lawsuits Finally Get a Second Chance as Cases Move Forward Amid Months of Limbo.
Survivors of child sexual abuse in New York City are breathing a sigh of relief after hundreds of lawsuits against the city were cleared to move forward. The cases, which span decades and multiple facilities, were originally filed under a city law that opened up a two-year window for survivors to bring claims years and decades after the statute of limitations had expired.
The lawsuits name New York City among the defendants, arguing that it failed to provide "care, protection, and safety" to children in its custody. Many of the cases were dismissed last year on a technical legal ruling, but a change in city law has reopened the path for survivors of gender-motivated violence to pursue their claims.
Attorneys representing survivors say they are already taking steps to restart the cases and expect additional claims to be filed in the months ahead. Levy Konigsberg, one of the firms representing the survivors, is working to get the litigation back on track, with attorney Jerome Block stating that the city should be looking to compensate victims and improve the juvenile system to prevent such abuse.
The new law allows survivors who never filed claims to come forward and gives them 18 months to bring their cases. Block expects "many more people" to come forward, adding that the reopening of the window is a welcome change for those seeking redress.
For many survivors, including Jason Moore and Austin Stephens, the abuse they suffered had a profound impact on their lives. They spent years using drugs to cope with the pain, considered suicide, and struggled to form relationships with women. However, after recent coverage of other survivors coming forward, both men have decided to act, saying it's not about the money but about ensuring that such abuse never happens again.
The reopen window also provides a chance for survivors who were held in juvenile detention centers, including Spofford Juvenile Center, where both Moore and Stephens spent time. The center was shut down due to allegations of child abuse, but many survivors say they were not believed or protected during their time there.
As the cases move forward, some are calling on New York City officials to take action to prevent such abuse in the future. With hundreds of lawsuits now cleared to proceed, it remains to be seen how the city will respond and whether justice will be served for those who have suffered at the hands of abuse.
Survivors of child sexual abuse in New York City are breathing a sigh of relief after hundreds of lawsuits against the city were cleared to move forward. The cases, which span decades and multiple facilities, were originally filed under a city law that opened up a two-year window for survivors to bring claims years and decades after the statute of limitations had expired.
The lawsuits name New York City among the defendants, arguing that it failed to provide "care, protection, and safety" to children in its custody. Many of the cases were dismissed last year on a technical legal ruling, but a change in city law has reopened the path for survivors of gender-motivated violence to pursue their claims.
Attorneys representing survivors say they are already taking steps to restart the cases and expect additional claims to be filed in the months ahead. Levy Konigsberg, one of the firms representing the survivors, is working to get the litigation back on track, with attorney Jerome Block stating that the city should be looking to compensate victims and improve the juvenile system to prevent such abuse.
The new law allows survivors who never filed claims to come forward and gives them 18 months to bring their cases. Block expects "many more people" to come forward, adding that the reopening of the window is a welcome change for those seeking redress.
For many survivors, including Jason Moore and Austin Stephens, the abuse they suffered had a profound impact on their lives. They spent years using drugs to cope with the pain, considered suicide, and struggled to form relationships with women. However, after recent coverage of other survivors coming forward, both men have decided to act, saying it's not about the money but about ensuring that such abuse never happens again.
The reopen window also provides a chance for survivors who were held in juvenile detention centers, including Spofford Juvenile Center, where both Moore and Stephens spent time. The center was shut down due to allegations of child abuse, but many survivors say they were not believed or protected during their time there.
As the cases move forward, some are calling on New York City officials to take action to prevent such abuse in the future. With hundreds of lawsuits now cleared to proceed, it remains to be seen how the city will respond and whether justice will be served for those who have suffered at the hands of abuse.
still can't believe what's been going on in NYC 
️ all these years, survivors are finally getting a second chance 
after being left to deal with trauma alone 
it's crazy that some people thought they were out of time 
like their claims just disappeared into thin air 
the city needs to step up and take responsibility for its past mistakes 
hopefully this will lead to real change and a safer system for kids 
This is a huge step forward for survivors of child sexual abuse in NYC... 
18 months is a decent amount of time to come forward, might help some people find closure... 
I hope that the city takes this as an opportunity to reform their system and make sure that something like this never happens again.
. But now that the cases are moving forward, hopefully we'll see some real change and accountability from the city 
... I'm glad these survivors are finally getting a second chance to tell their stories and fight for justice 
.
I'm glad that there are people like Jerome Block who care and want to see change happen. We should be making it easier for survivors to come forward, not harder! 
! This new law is a huge win for survivors who've been through hell and back 
. The city needs to take responsibility and make some serious changes to prevent this kind of abuse from happening in the future #JusticeForSurvivors #BreakTheSilence #PreventChildAbuse
. i think it's great that more people are coming forward now that others have spoken out, but at the same time, we need to make sure these cases get the justice they deserve ASAP 
. and btw, why is there no accountability for the ppl who enabled or covered up this abuse in the first place? like, where r they now? 
is amazing to see survivors finally getting a chance to speak out after so many years of silence they should get full support from the city & receive justice, no one deserves to go through what they went through 