Sign-up open · closes July 29, 2027
NYC abuse lookback window, who can file and how long it stays open
Last checked August 30, 2026
This page covers a legal window, not a settlement fund. New York City's Bill 1297-A, an amendment to the Gender-Motivated Violence Act, took effect January 29, 2026 and opened an 18-month lookback period. During that period, survivors of institutional sexual abuse that happened in New York City can file civil claims even when the abuse took place decades ago.
Claims can name both the individual abuser and the institution that enabled the abuse, including juvenile detention centers, schools, churches, hospitals, government agencies, and employers. The window closes for good on July 29, 2027. The intake is a law-firm sign-up, and the firm decides whether to take a case.
You may qualify if
- ✓You experienced institutional sexual abuse that occurred in New York City.
- ✓The abuse happened before January 9, 2022.
- ✓You are filing while the lookback window is open, which runs through July 29, 2027.
What you need to file
The listing names no documents and no step count. The link is an intake form where you give contact details and describe what happened so a firm can review it. Sign-up is free, and nothing is owed for the review.
This site does not give legal advice. The firm you sign up with is the place to ask what records, if any, would help.
Deadline and what you get
The lookback window closes July 29, 2027. That date comes from the law itself, not from a settlement administrator.
No dollar figure is listed, and none is promised. Any recovery depends on the individual case, the firm's review, and how the claim resolves in court or by settlement.
The Payout app lists this window too and links to the same intake.
Questions about the NYC Abuse case
Does the abuse have to be recent?
No. The lookback window exists so that abuse from decades ago can still be the basis of a civil claim, as long as it happened in New York City before January 9, 2022.
Can I file against the institution, not only the person?
The law allows claims against both the individual abuser and the institution that enabled the abuse, such as a school, church, hospital, agency, or employer.
Is there a set payment amount?
No. This is not a settlement fund. Any outcome depends on your own case and the firm that takes it.
Check the other 53 at once
Payout runs your purchases and addresses against every open case and files the ones you are in. Free. You keep the whole check.