Rikers Island Sex Abuse Lawsuits

Rose M. Singer Center Sex Abuse Lawsuit Attorneys

The New York Adult Survivors Act (ASA) has created a limited time for people to file sexual abuse lawsuits against the people who hurt them for incidents that happened when they were adults, regardless of how much time has passed since the sexual acts. For so many women who were incarcerated on Rikers Island and at the Rose M. Singer Center (also called Rosie’s), this is the only time that they might ever have to speak up about the sexual assaults that they endured there.

If you were sexually abused at the Rose M. Singer Center by prison guards or staff, then you should call (800) 315-3806 to speak to a member of Levy Konigsberg immediately. You have rights as a sexual abuse survivor, and we would be honored to help you speak up and use them. Please note that New York law prevents inmates from consenting to any sexual actions with correctional facility officers or staff, so any sexual encounter that you had with Rikers Island staff is sexual assault that can form the basis for a lawsuit.

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What is the Rose M. Singer Center?

The Rose M. Singer Center is the only women’s facility on Rikers Island. It has a prisoner capacity limit of over 2,000, and it is even equipped with a baby nursery. Women who are jailed at Rosie’s are usually meant to stay short-term while awaiting sentencing or if they have been sentenced for less than one year of jail time. It is operated by the New York City Department of Correction (NYCDOC) and is part of a larger imprisonment facility in the Rikers Island complex.

Sexual Abuse at the Rose M. Singer Center

There is a long history of sexual abuse reports and incidents at the Rose M. Singer Center. Levy Konigsberg has paid close attention to these reports, so we can be better equipped to represent women who speak up and want to take legal action, which is now possible due to the Adult Survivors Act.

A brief look at the Rose M. Singer Center’s history of inmate sexual abuse includes:

• 2012: The Department of Justice names the Rose M. Singer Center as one of the least safe female correctional facilities in the country due to an extremely high rate of reported sexual assaults.
• 2017: NYC agrees to pay a $1.2 million settlement to two former Rose M. Singer Center inmates who were sexually assaulted by a male guard.
• 2018: NYC agrees to pay $425,000 to a female inmate who was sexually abused by Officers Steven Santiago, David Johnson, and Nana Osei. She participated in an undercover sting operation to expose the offenders.
• February 2019: NYC agrees to pay a $500,000 settlement to a female inmate who was raped by Office Jose Cosme, who pled guilty to felony criminal sex charges. A related administrative trial in 2022 resulted in the firing of Officer Leonard McNeill, who pressures the inmate to not report the attacks.
• July 2019: NYC agrees to pay a $1.2 million settlement to an inmate who was violently raped by three male guards. In the court’s ruling, it was specifically mentioned that the Rose M. Singer Center has twice the national average for reported sexual abuses carried out by correction officers.

This list of known sexual abuses is not comprehensive. Investigations have provided evidence that many more women were sexually abused at the Rose M. Singer Center. There are many more sexual assaults committed by staff members and officers that have not yet been reported.

No Consent Possible Between Inmates & Officers

New York law makes it impossible for an inmate to consent to any sexual behavior with a correctional facility staff member or officer. If you engaged in sexual actions with an officer at the Rose M. Singer Center, then it was not consensual by legal definition. Furthermore, it was automatically prohibited and punishable behavior on part of the officer or staff member, which would allow you to seek compensation through the Adult Survivors Act.

Reporting Sexual Abuse on Rikers Island

Many women are now coming forward to report the sexual abuse they suffered at the Rose M. Singer Center. It is important for the voices of the many women this happened to be heard so that the abusers and New York Prison System can be held accountable. The New York Adult Survivors Act does not require you to have filed an official report to the state before filing a lawsuit in civil court. The one-year lookback window created by the ASA expires on November 24, 2023. Before it expires, you can start a lawsuit for a sexual assault at Rosie’s, no matter when it occurred.

Levy Konigsberg Fights for You – Call Now

Our attorneys at Levy Konigsberg have recovered more than $3 billion for past clients, including many institutions that enabled and covered up sexual abuse. We are proud to be trailblazers for litigation against New York’s numerous prisons that allowed their staff and officers to sexually abuse inmates, including Rosie’s on Rikers Island, Albion Correctional Facility, Bayview Correctional Facility, and others. If you were sexually assaulted while serving time at the Rose M. Singer Center, then please take action now to file a lawsuit during the limited window created by Adult Survivors Act.

Call (800) 315-3806 for a FREE, confidential consultationwith our Rikers Island sex abuse attorneys.