“No matter what crime someone may have committed, rape is not part of the penalty.” —Just Detention International
All survivors of sexual violence deserve compassion and support. If you or your loved one has experienced sexual assault, harassment, or abuse while incarcerated in New York State, resources are available to you.
The federal Prison Rape Elimination Act of 2003 (PREA) established national standards to prevent and respond to sexual violence in prisons, jails, and detention centers. This includes ensuring that incarcerated survivors of sexual violence can access the same services as survivors who are not incarcerated.
Currently, eight Rape Crisis Programs serve 40 NYS Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS) facilities, with the remaining 14 DOCCS facilities served primarily by local victim assistance programs and the PREA Centers on an as-needed basis. The PREA Centers are:
- Center for Victim Safety and Support at Family Services, Inc.
- Crisis Services, Inc.
- Crime Victims Treatment Center
- RESTORE Sexual Assault Services
- Safe Harbors of the Finger Lakes
- Sexual Assault and Crime Victims Assistance Program at Samaritan Hospital
- Victims Assistance Center of Jefferson County
- Victims Assistance Services/WestCOP, Inc.
For more information about PREA in New York State, contact PREA Outreach Director Eirik Bjorkman at (518) 482-4222 ext. 306 or ebjorkman@nyscasa.org.
The New York State Hotline for Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault
In March 2019, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced that the state’s domestic and sexual violence hotline would be made available to incarcerated individuals throughout the state prison system, providing crisis counseling, as well as access to support, additional counseling and advocacy for individuals who are victims of sexual assault or harassment.
The 777 direct-dial number is available every day, in English, Spanish and other languages, at all 54 facilities operated by the state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS). Read more.
Additional Resources
- What is the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA)?
- What does PREA look like in New York?
- PREA Resource Center
- Resource Sharing Project
- National Sexual Violence Resource Center
- Impact Justice
- Just Detention International
- The Project on Addressing Prison Rape
- The Vera Institute of Justice
- The Moss Group
- US Bureau of Justice Assistance
- New York State Department of Criminal Justice Services
- New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision