Senator Biaggi, Salazar to examine sexual assault in New York’s correctional facilities

The Senate Ethics and Internal Governance Committee Chairwoman, Alessandra Biaggi, and Senate Crime Victims, Crime, and Correction Chairwoman Julia Salazar have led a joint public hearing on the problem of sexual assault in New York State’s correctional facilities.

According to a statement on Monday March 7, 2022, the hearing is aimed at examining the pervasiveness of sexual assault in correctional facilities.

“The hearing will provide survivors of sexual violence an opportuntiy to share their experiences, assess the effectiveness of existing policies and systems, and identify ways to prevent sexual violence in correctional facilities,” the statement reads.

Testimony was given by formerly incarcerated survivors, directly impacted correctional officers, advocacy organizations, and officials from the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS).

Senator Biaggi said, “During last week’s hearing, we heard harrowing stories from survivors of sexual violence in our State’s correctional facilities, incarcerated individuals and correctional officers alike– making it evident that our current system of addressing sexual violence in jails and prisons is broken and in need of urgent reform.

“Many survivors spoke about their experiences of being either ignored, dismissed, or retaliated against for speaking out about the violence they experienced.

“This is unacceptable, and I am committed to build upon the findings of our hearing to develop survivor-centered legislation, increase protections for vulnerable populations, and ensure proper oversight and accountability to bring an end the culture of sexual violence in New York’s correctional facilities.”

Senator Julia Salazar, Chair of the Senate Crime Victims, Crime, and Correction, said, “Last Thursday, we held a joint public hearing on sexual violence in New York’s jails and prisons. It was the first time in New York State history that the legislature has held a hearing dedicated to this topic.

“We heard testimony during the hearing from 16 different witnesses and received written testimony from many more. We listened to accounts of survivors of sexual violence in jail and prisons, including both formerly incarcerated individuals and corrections officers.

“This represents just the beginning of our work to end the culture of sexual violence in our state’s correctional facilities. It’s clear that this violence is systematic. I’m committed to continuing this work through major policy changes, expanded oversight, and real accountability.”

The main takeaways from yesterday’s hearing include retaliation and the fear of retaliation, need for confidentiality and effective oversight and accountability.