A new investigation from WNYC Radio/Gothamist is detailing hundreds of instances spanning decades of alleged sexual assault at the women’s jail, also known as Rosie’s, on Rikers Island.
On Thursday, Gothamist published another report that looks at a string of sexual assault allegations on Rikers connected to one correction officer, who was recently arrested on charges of raping a woman while off duty in Queens.
Reporter Jessy Edwards, who covers incarceration and public safety at Gothamist and WNYC Radio, was one of the lead investigators.
She and Christoper Werth, an investigative editor for WNYC Radio, sat down with political reporter Bobby Cuza on “Inside City Hall” Thursday to talk more about the sexual assault allegations and these reports.
“This investigation took a lot of work,” Edwards said.
“There had been some previous reporting about the scale of the allegations, but it’s pretty remarkable when you look at the total number of these lawsuits that have been filed, just in New York City,” Werth said. “Around 60% pertain to sexual assault at Rikers.”