Judge dismisses hundreds of sexual abuse lawsuits related to New York City juvenile detention facilities.

A Bronx judge has made a significant ruling by dismissing hundreds of lawsuits filed by former detainees who allege that New York City failed to protect them from sexual abuse while housed in juvenile detention facilities, including notably 20 cases linked to a single serial offender at the Horizon Juvenile Center.

In response to this development, City Council members gathered with survivors and their legal representatives outside of City Hall, urging Council Speaker Adrienne Adams to advance a bill aimed at reinstating over 450 lawsuits dismissed in this ruling.

One of the plaintiffs, Rashawn Jones, highlighted the disappointment felt by many survivors when he described the legal process as a betrayal of their hope for accountability. Jones had previously alleged that he was abused by Horizon counselor Natalie Medford in 2012. He emphasized that their cases were dismissed not due to the legitimacy of their claims, but because of ambiguities present in the legal framework governing such matters.

The law in question is referred to as the Gender-Motivated Violence Act, which recently established a two-year “lookback window” until March 2025, allowing victims to file civil suits against institutions or city agencies they believe are complicit in abuse. However, an appellate court’s ruling over the summer indicated that entities alleged to have enabled violence prior to the amendments could not be held accountable, as the new provisions were determined not to apply retroactively.

As a result, Bronx Justice Mitchell Danziger dismissed the 450 cases involving juvenile detention, prompting protests and calls for legislative clarity. The bill currently endorsed by 35 City Council members seeks to clarify the retroactive application of the law, but Speaker Adams has not yet scheduled a vote, despite the measure having the backing of a substantial majority of the Council.

Councilwoman Selvena Brooks-Powers, the lead sponsor of the bill, asserted that survivors deserve the opportunity to hold both abusers and enabling institutions accountable, stressing the urgency for legislative action in light of the court’s decision.

A spokesperson for the New York City Administration for Children’s Services expressed a commitment to addressing allegations of abuse and ensuring preventive measures are in place, while the city’s Law Department reiterated that the current legislation does not authorize claims against the city before its enactment.

Jones and others remain hopeful that with appropriate amendments, justice can still be pursued. Advocates are determined to seek improvements to the law that would allow survivors to receive the acknowledgment and reparations they seek for past abuses under the city’s supervision.