(Adnkronos) – It’s time to amend the state law on sexual assault as soon as possible, which does not protect victims who voluntarily became intoxicated. This was stated by New York Governor Kathy Hochul during a press conference on group rape allegations at Cornell University. “A person can be too drunk to give consent, but it shouldn’t matter if they chose to take drugs or alcohol,” Hochul said, adding that “voluntarily getting drunk is not a license for sexual assault or gang rape. Period.” Hochul said that “this legislative loophole must be closed, and I will work with the New York State Legislature to achieve this goal.”
Hochul stated that Jane Doe, who reported the group rape, was repeatedly let down by the institutions that should have protected her. “This young woman has already suffered something absolutely unspeakable and was abandoned by people and institutions that should have protected her,” said Hochul, who appointed Attorney General Letitia James as special prosecutor, stating that she will conduct a new investigation and initiate criminal proceedings if the facts warrant it. “No institution can protect its reputation at the expense of a young woman seeking justice,” Hochul said. No public official can “look the other way when the system collapses and fails our young people,” she added.
