Abused at the Vernon C. Bain Correctional Center (The Barge)? The City is Now Liable.
The Vernon C. Bain Correctional Center—nicknamed 'The Boat'—was an 800-bed jail barge operated by the NYC Department of Correction off the South Bronx near Rikers Island. It was decommissioned in 2023 and fully vacated by 2024. If you were sexually abused by staff while in custody on the barge, you may still file a claim during the 18-month window.
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Staff Abuse at the Vernon C. Bain Barge
The facility was decommissioned in November 2023 and fully vacated by 2024. You can still pursue a claim for abuse that occurred while you were in custody on the barge.
The Vernon C. Bain Correctional Center (VCBC) was built in Louisiana for $161 million and brought to New York in 1992 to address overcrowding at Rikers. It housed medium- to maximum-security inmates in 16 dormitories and 100 cells and was once named by Guinness World Records as the world's largest prison barge in operation.
The barge was widely criticized as inhumane, with advocates describing it as a 'modern-day slave ship' that warehoused primarily Black and Latino detainees awaiting trial. Conditions included mold, rust, extreme heat, and leaks. Multiple deaths occurred on the vessel. Sexual abuse by staff in such closed, controlled environments has been documented across NYC DOC facilities.
The Gender Motivated Violence Protection Law holds the City and the Department of Correction liable for sexual abuse committed by employees—whether the facility is still open or has since closed. If you were sexually abused at Vernon C. Bain while in custody, you may have a claim. The 18-month filing window is open.
The barge operated for over 30 years before decommissioning. Survivors from any year can file during the window.
What Changed?
The law that protected abusers is gone. Here's what that means for you.
The City is Liable
NYC and its agencies (including the Department of Correction and ACS) can be held responsible for sexual abuse committed by staff while acting within their roles.
18-Month Window
The filing window opened January 29, 2026. You have 18 months to file. After that, the window closes.
No Statute of Limitations
It doesn't matter when the abuse happened. If it occurred at a NYC facility, you can file during this window.
Other NYC Juvenile & ACS Facilities
Rose M. Singer Center (RMSC) — Rikers Island
The only women's jail on Rikers Island. Women detained at RMSC were particularly vulnerable to abuse by staff.
Learn moreManhattan Detention Complex (The Tombs)
City jail at 125 White Street, Manhattan.
Learn moreBrooklyn Detention Complex
814-bed jail in Brooklyn.
Learn moreQueens Detention Facility
City jail in Kew Gardens, Queens.
Learn moreNYPD Precinct Holding Cells
Abuse while in NYPD custody is covered under the new law.
Learn moreThe Window is Open. Don't Wait.
If you were sexually abused at the Vernon C. Bain Correctional Center (the barge), you may have a claim—even though the facility has closed. The 18-month window won't stay open forever.
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Do You Qualify? Find Out in 60 Seconds.
Answer a few quick questions to see if you may be eligible to pursue a claim under NYC's new Gender Motivated Violence Protection Law. Every conversation is confidential and compassionate.
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