Investigating Claims at Vernon C. Bain
The Vernon C. Bain Center (VCBC), often called "The Boat," was a jail barge operated by the New York City Department of Correction off the South Bronx, near Rikers Island. The facility was permanently closed and decommissioned as an operating detention facility in late 2023, and the barge was later towed away for scrapping. 1
New York City's Gender-Motivated Violence Protection Law allows survivors to bring civil claims against the institutions connected to alleged sexual abuse — including for abuse said to have occurred at a facility that has since closed. Survivors who allege sexual abuse by staff while in custody at Vernon C. Bain may be able to bring such a claim. These would be allegations that have not been proven in court, and whether any individual claim succeeds is decided in court.
We are investigating possible claims involving the Vernon C. Bain Center. We do not assert a documented pattern of abuse at this facility, and the GMVA pathway here is described in general terms. If you experienced sexual abuse while in custody there — even though the facility has closed — a confidential review is the most reliable way to learn whether your own experience may support a claim.
Three quiet steps, on your terms
- 1You tell us as much or as little as you want.A confidential conversation with our team — by phone or online. You stay in control of the pace.
- 2We review whether you have a claim.At no cost, against the facts and the law — and we tell you honestly either way.
- 3You decide what happens next.If you choose to move forward, you pay nothing unless we win for you.
Sources & authorities
Cited to court records and government sources · Accessed June 2026