NWLC signed an amicus brief submitted on April 17, 2019 led by Her Justice, in the New York Appellate Division, First Department in the case Breest v. Haggis.

The case involves a sexual assault victim in a civil suit against her assailant, brought under the NYC Victims of Gender-Motivated Violence Protection Act (GMVA). The assailant is a well-known Hollywood director, and the plaintiff won a huge victory against him when the court denied his motion to dismiss the claim under the GMVA. He is now appealing, marking the first time an appellate court in New York has reviewed the GMVA.

The friend-of-the-court brief discusses how sexual violence is necessarily motivated by gender, regardless of the gender of the victim or the aggressor.

Other amici curiae include: Her Justice, American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Sanctuary for Families, New York City Alliance Against Sexual Assault, National Organization for Women—New York City, Women’s Justice NOW, FreeFrom, Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund, Anti-Violence Project, Black Women’s Blueprint, and C.A. Goldberg PLLC.

Read our blog for more, here.