New York, NY – The Victims of Gender-Motivated Violence Protection Act (“VGMVPA”), is a law passed by New York City that makes it unlawful to commit an act of violence because of an individual’s gender. Anyone who commits such appalling acts of violence may be criminally prosecuted, and additionally, face civil recovery too. This is possible because the VGMVPA provides victims of such conduct the opportunity to also individually seek civil recovery against such aggressors, in addition to other possible civil claims such as sexual harassment, discrimination based on gender, assault, and battery.
What makes the VGMVPA especially unique is that the law allows victims to bring their claims within seven years of the unlawful incident. This is especially important for employment law cases, as this statue is significantly lengthier than most employment laws. Thus, if the statute of limitations ran on certain claims, the victim may still sue under VGMVPA.
Moreover, the VGMVPA doesn’t just protect residents of New York City, it also protects anyone working in New York City.
The VGMVPA is extremely important as many individuals—especially women—are subjected to gender-based violence. Such violence may take place inside or outside the workplace. If it does, the wrongdoer and their employer may be held liable for gender-motivated violence that occurs in the workplace under VGMVPA.
What qualifies as a “crime of violence” under the VGMVPA?
A “crime of violence” is “an act or series of acts that would constitute a misdemeanor or felony against the person as defined in state or federal law . . . if the conduct presents a serious risk of physical injury to another, whether or not those acts have actually resulted in criminal charges….”
Thus, if a perpetrator actually was criminally charged or could have been criminally charged, the victim could use the VGMVPA to bring her claims in civil court and sue her offender for monetary damages. These damages could include economic damages, compensatory damages for emotional distress, punitive damages to punish the wrongdoer, payment for attorneys’ fees and other expenses.
If you believe you are the victim of gender-motivated violence or sexual harassment at your job contact one of our New York City sexual harassment attorneys at the Derek Smith Law Group, PLLC today for a free consultation. Our attorneys have years of experience litigating claims of gender discrimination. If you feel you have been discriminated against because of your gender, please give our attorneys a call at (800) 807-2209 for a free consultation.
