>>> New York's Voluntary Intoxication Exclusion facilitates sexual assault of intoxicated individuals. Join the fight to pass A101/S54! Together, we can enable justice and end victim-blaming for survivors of sexual violence.

New York law currently fails to protect survivors of sexual violence due to a dangerous loophole known as the Voluntary Intoxication Exclusion. This gap in the law enables perpetrators to avoid accountability and escape justice based on how a victim became intoxicated.

Under current New York statutes, sexual assault is not considered a crime if the victim was voluntarily intoxicated when they experienced the assault. Because the law doesn’t recognize victims who willingly consume drugs or alcohol as “mentally incapacitated,” the state’s rape statute does not apply. This leaves survivors with no legal path for prosecuting their assailants or achieving the justice they deserve.

This loophole not only denies survivors protection but also perpetuates victim-blaming attitudes and actions. By differentiating between those who were voluntarily or involuntarily intoxicated, the law creates an unjust distinction, deeming survivors "worthy" or "unworthy" of justice.

Survivors of sexual violence deserve justice, not judgment.

For too long, advocates have fought to close this harmful loophole, and survivors cannot afford to wait any longer. It’s time for New York lawmakers to act by passing A101/S54, critical legislation that will eliminate the Voluntary Intoxication Exclusion and ensure protections for all survivors—regardless of how they became intoxicated.