What happened to you has a name in New York law.
We represent survivors across New York, whether the person who hurt you was a stranger, a partner, a boss, a coach, or someone you trusted as a child. When a school, an employer, or another institution lets something like this happen, we hold them responsible too.
If you are in danger right now, call 911. Confidential 24/7 hotlines are listed at the end of this page.
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We fight to end gender-based discrimination and violence in all forms.
Harm from a boss or coworker, a teacher or professor, a medical provider, a coach, a religious authority, or someone else you trusted can feel wrong and still be hard to name. These are the forms sexual violence and abuse most often take. You don’t need the right word for what happened to you to reach out. If you are not sure where your experience fits, talk to us. We are here to help.
Sexual assault and rape
Sexual contact you did not agree to, including when you were asleep, passed out, or otherwise unable to agree. Knowing the person, dating them, or having been with them before does not mean you agreed.
Childhood sexual abuse in schools, athletics, and religious institutions
Sexual abuse before you turned 18, by a relative, a teacher, a coach, a member of the clergy, or anyone else. It often starts as attention that feels special, which is one reason many people only recognize it as abuse years later. You may be able to file until you turn 55.
Workplace sexual harassment, violence, and exploitation
Unwanted sexual comments, touching, or pressure from a boss or a coworker. New York City and State Human Rights Laws cover employers of every size, and harassment does not have to be severe or constant to be unlawful. The law protects you from anything beyond petty slights or trivial inconveniences.
Abuse by medical providers
Sexual abuse by a doctor, nurse, therapist, or other provider, including touching passed off as part of an exam or treatment. A hospital or practice that ignored warning signs can be held accountable too.
Exploitation of intimate images and online abuse
Someone shared a private sexual image of you without your consent, or threatened to, to harass or alarm you. That includes deepfakes and AI-generated images made to look like you. A court can order the images taken down, and in New York you can sue anyone who shared them.
Sex trafficking
Being forced, tricked, or pressured into sex that someone else profited from, including by a partner or someone who said they loved you. The websites, hotels, and businesses that profited can be held accountable.
The person who did it is often not the only one responsible.
Most of the abuse we see happened where someone was supposed to be watching: a school, a workplace, a hospital, a house of worship, a camp, or a youth program. An institution that knew or should have known someone was dangerous, and kept them in their role, failed to supervise them, or ignored complaints, can often be held liable. Schools must watch over students with the care a reasonable parent would take, and they’re responsible for how they supervise their teachers and staff.
The person who hurt you may have no money, may be in prison, or may have died. The institution usually still exists, along with its records and its insurance.
In New York City, the Gender-Motivated Violence Act also lets you name anyone who directed, enabled, took part in, or conspired in the violence.
If it happened at a school or college, Title IX adds a separate path, with a stricter rule about what the school knew. Our campus guide walks through the school’s process, Title IX, and a civil case.
It may not be too late, even years later.
Which deadline or statute of limitations applies depends on how old you were, where it happened, and who was involved. You should always consult a lawyer to understand the deadlines for your potential claims. These are the ones that come up frequently, and our deadline guide covers the rest. If you’re not sure where your case fits, reach out, and we will walk you through it.
The Child Victims Act lets survivors of childhood sexual abuse file until they turn 55, if the claim was still open when the law took effect in 2019. Older claims needed a revival window, which closed in August 2021.
The GMVA window lets survivors of gender-motivated violence in the five boroughs file claims that expired years ago, including cases once dismissed as too late.
New York extended the civil deadline for rape and certain other sexual offenses to twenty years in 2019. Other claims can have much shorter deadlines, and the Adult Survivors Act’s window for older claims closed in November 2023.
A claim for injuries from domestic violence can be brought within two years, instead of the one year that applies to most assault claims. A longer deadline above still applies for other claims, including GMVA claims.
Tort claims against a public entity often require a notice of claim within 90 days. The Child Victims Act removed that requirement for abuse that happened before 18.
You can take this one step at a time.
No police report is required.
A civil case is separate from a criminal one, with its own rules and its own burden of proof. You can bring a civil case without a police report, a charge, or a conviction, against the person who hurt you or the institution behind them.
Your name can stay off the public record.
New York courts often let survivors of sexual abuse file anonymously, as Jane or John Doe. Our guide explains exactly what is shared in court and how your identity is protected.
Filing without your nameSave what you have.
Texts, emails, photos, screenshots, dates, and the names of people you told can all matter, even years later. If someone else can see your phone or accounts, keep copies where they cannot reach them.
We prepare you for every step.
If you go forward, you will likely be asked about what happened, including under oath. We get you ready beforehand, we are with you when it happens, and we can ask the court to limit what’s asked and who sees it.
Our Record
Sexual abuse cases we have handled.
Ethical Culture Fieldston School Sexual Assault
Misconduct at the prestigious Bronx private school took place following volleyball sessions, cinema outings, and at home.
View the case Sexual Abuse & Assault Case pendingBarrie Drewitt-Barlow Sexual Abuse Lawsuit
A football club owner featured on Below Deck Sailing Yacht allegedly groomed a teenage boy.
View the case Sexual Abuse & Assault Substantial settlementSexual Assault at Wesleyan (Beta Theta Pi)
Jane was targeted and secluded in a bedroom of the fraternity house and sexually assaulted. She prevailed against both the university and the fraternity, reaching a substantial settlement.
View the case Sexual Abuse & Assault Confidential settlementButler University Athlete Abuse Lawsuit
Four Butler University student athletes were sexually abused and photographed because the University lacked and failed to supervise protocols for protecting female athletes. The case was resolved in a confidential settlement.
View the case
Olympias Iliana Konidaris
Iliana has represented survivors of sexual abuse and gender-based violence in New York and around the country for more than a decade, in Title IX proceedings and in civil court. She is lead counsel for the plaintiff in the Ethical Culture Fieldston School case, and she represents numerous other Jane Does in litigation against residential treatment facilities, fraternities, and universities.
More for New York survivors.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if what happened to me counts as abuse?
You do not need to know. Tell us what happened in whatever words feel right to you, and we will tell you which laws may apply. In New York City, for example, the Gender-Motivated Violence Act covers violence committed because of gender, which a New York appeals court has held includes rape and sexual assault.
It happened years ago. Is it too late?
Maybe not. If you were under 18, the Child Victims Act can give you until age 55, for claims that were still open when it took effect in 2019. If it happened in or is closely connected to New York City before January 9, 2022, the GMVA window lets you file until July 29, 2027, however long ago it was. Our deadlines guide walks through every deadline that may apply.
Can I hold the school, employer, or organization responsible?
Often, yes, especially when it knew or should have known about the danger and failed to act. That claim can go forward even when the person who hurt you has no money or has died, because the institution still exists.
Will my name be public?
Not necessarily. New York courts often allow survivors of sexual abuse to file as Jane or John Doe, which keeps your name off the public record. The person or institution you sue will still know who you are, and we can ask the court for protections that limit who else learns it.
What if it happened in a relationship or a marriage?
It can still be assault, and it can still support a civil case. Marriage is not consent, and New York’s highest court has held that the law protects spouses the same as anyone else.
How can I help someone I love?
Believe them, and let them decide what happens next. Pressure to report, to sue, or to confront the person who did it can feel like losing control all over again, even when it comes from a good place. You can also talk to us yourself. Reaching out commits neither of you to anything. If they are an adult, the decision to go forward stays with them, and we will speak with them directly before we take any action. If they are your child, we will explain how a case works for someone under 18 and what your part in it would be.
What does it cost to talk to you?
Nothing. The initial case review is free and confidential. We handle many cases on a contingency fee, which means our fee comes out of a recovery. If we do not recover, you don’t owe a fee. Costs are explained in writing before you sign anything. Where litigation is not the goal, we also represent and advise clients on an hourly basis.
Tell us as much or as little as you want. We will tell you where you stand.
One free, confidential conversation can tell you which laws may apply and how much time you have. You decide what happens after that.
Free and confidential. Contacting us does not create an attorney-client relationship.
- New York State Domestic and Sexual Violence Hotline, confidential, 24/71-800-942-6906
- Safe Horizon, New York City, 24 hours800-621-HOPE
- National Domestic Violence Hotline, 24/7800-799-SAFE
- Cyber Civil Rights Initiative, image abuse helpline844-878-2274
If it is not safe to talk, you can text the New York State hotline at 844-997-2121, or text START to 88788 for the National Domestic Violence Hotline. If you are in danger right now, call 911. The New York State Office of Victim Services may help cover counseling and medical costs.
This page explains New York State, New York City, and federal law in plain language, as of October 19, 2026. It is general information rather than legal advice about your situation, and the law changes. Every legal statement is sourced in the Sources panel.
This page is attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.