<b>>> WELCOME TO THIS WEEK'S </b> <b>EDITION OF NEW YORK NOW.

</b> <b>I'M </b> <b>SHANTEL DESTRA.</b> <b>IT WAS A"LONG ROAD TO GET THE </b> <b>RAPE IS RAPE ACT OVER THE </b> <b>LEGISLATIVE FINISH LINE, </b> <b>BUT THINGS CHANGED THIS WEEK </b> <b>WHEN GOVERNOR KATHY HOCHUL </b> <b>SIGNED THE LEGISLATION THAT </b> <b>UPDATES THE STATE'S DEFINITION </b> <b>OF RAPE TO INCLUDE FORCED SEXUAL</b> <b>CONTACT THAT IS NOT PENTRATION.</b> <b>>> WE'RE REASSURING SURVIVORS</b> <b>THAT IS WHEN THEY WALK INTO A </b> <b>POLICE STATION OR APPROACH THE </b> <b>WITNESS STAND,</b> <b>THE FULL WEIGHT OF THE LAW OF </b> <b>THE STATE OF NEW YORK IS BEHIND </b> <b>THEM.

</b> <b>IT'S BEHIND THEM NOW GOING </b> <b>FORWARD.

</b> <b>>> PRIOR TO THE LAW, NEW YORK </b> <b>DEFINED RAPE SOLELY AS FORCED </b> <b>VAGINAL INTERCOURSE.</b> <b>NOW THE STATE WILL RECOGNIZE </b> <b>OTHER FORMS OF FORCED </b> <b>INTERCOURSE INCLUDING ORAL AND </b> <b>ANAL FORCED CONTACT AS RAPE.</b> <b>AFTER WORKING TO GET THE BILL </b> <b>PASSED FOR YEARS, THE BILL'S </b> <b>SPONSORS STATE SENATOR BRAD </b> <b>HOLYMANSIGAL AND ASSEMBLY MEMBER</b> <b>CATALINA CRUZ CELEBRATED THE </b> <b>SIGNING ALONG WITH THE GOVERNOR </b> <b>>> FORCED SEXUAL CONTACT </b> <b>AGAINST YOUR WILL, WHETHER IT </b> <b>INVOLVES VAGINA, ANUS, OR MOUTH </b> <b>IS AN ABSOLUTE VIOLATION OF SELF</b> <b>AND YOUR TRUST, AND IT'S CALLING</b> <b>ANYTHING -- CALLING IT ANYTHING </b> <b>OTHER THAN RAPE NEGATES WHAT WE </b> <b>AS SURVIVORS HAVE ENDURED.</b> <b>THIS INSUFFICIENT AND </b> <b>DISCRIMINATORY NARRATIVE </b> <b>NARRATIVE ALSO LEAVES OUT </b> <b>VICTIMS OF MALE OR MALE, FEMALE </b> <b>AND FEMALE ATTACKS, OFTEN </b> <b>RESULTING IN FAILURE TO </b> <b>PROSECUTE THE RAPES COMMITTED </b> <b>UPON MEMBERS OF OUR LGBT </b> <b>COMMUNITY.

BUT TODAY, RAPE IS </b> <b>RAPE BECOMES LAW, AND IT IS MORE</b> <b>THAN JUST A SIMPLE CHANGE IN </b> <b>WORDS.</b> <b>IT'S A SYSTEMATIC SHIFT IN HOW </b> <b>WE THINK ABOUT WHO IS A RAPE </b> <b>VICTIM AND WHO IS A RAPIST.</b> <b>>> WHILE THE LAW HE WAS FIRST </b> <b>INTRODUCED IN 2011 AND FOR YEARS</b> <b>PASSED IN THE ASSEMBLY, IT </b> <b>STRUGGLED IN THE STATE SENATE </b> <b>WITH SENATOR HOYLMANSILGAL </b> <b>UNDERSCORED IN HIS REMARKS.</b> <b>>> AT TIMES IT SEEMED LIKE THE </b> <b>SENATE WOULDN'T TAKE YES FOR AN </b> <b>ANSWER, BUT WE GOT THERE TODAY.</b> <b>>> AND THE SENATOR WENT ON TO </b> <b>EXPLAIN HOW THE EXPANDED </b> <b>DEFINITION OF RAPE IN THE STATE </b> <b>WILL WILL EMPOWER MALE VICTIMS </b> <b>AND MEMBERS OF THE LGBTQ+ </b> <b>COMMUNITY TO COME FORWARD AND </b> <b>REPORT FORCED SEXUAL CONTACT.</b> <b>HERE TO DISCUSS THE NEWLY-PASSED</b> <b>RAPE IS RAPE LAW, WE'RE JOINED </b> <b>IN STUDIO BY MAYSOON KHAN OF THE</b> <b>ASSOCIATED PRESS AND ASHLEY </b> <b>HUPFL OF THE DAILY GAZETTE.</b> <b>THE JURY DID NOT FIND HER </b> <b>ATTACKER GUILTY OF RAPE, BUT HE </b> <b>DID FIND -- THEY DID FIND HIM </b> <b>GUILTY OF SEXUAL ASSAULT, AND </b> <b>SINCE THEN LYDIA CUOMO HAS BEEN </b> <b>ADAMANT THAT WE NEED TO UPDATE </b> <b>THE STATE'S LAW AND EXPAND THE </b> <b>DEFINITION OF RAPE.</b> <b>IT'S BEEN 12 YEARS SINCE THAT </b> <b>ALL TOOK PLACE, SO WHY DID IT </b> <b>TAKE SO LONG FOR THIS TO COME TO</b> <b>FRUITION?</b> <b>>> WELL, I THINK PART OF THE </b> <b>REASON IS THAT WE DID HAVE A </b> <b>REPUBLICAN-CONTROLLED SENATE UP </b> <b>UNTIL, I BELIEVE, A FEW YEARS </b> <b>AGO.</b> <b>THERE WAS REALLY NOT MUCH </b> <b>APPETITE FOR THE BILL TO PASS.</b> <b>THE ASSEMBLY DID PASS IT EACH </b> <b>YEAR, BUT IT DIDN'T REALLY GO </b> <b>ANY FURTHER.</b> <b>I THINK WITH HAVING THE FIRST </b> <b>FEMALE GOVERNOR REALLY -- SHE'S </b> <b>TALKED A LOT ABOUT THAT, </b> <b>CHALLENGES AROUND THAT THAT </b> <b>SHE'S BROUGHT WOMEN'S ISSUES </b> <b>INTO THE FOREFRONT THAT I THINK </b> <b>THAT REALLY GOT IT OVER THE </b> <b>HILL.</b> <b>>> AS YOU SAID, IT PASSED TIME </b> <b>AND TIME AGAIN IN THE ASSEMBLY, </b> <b>BUT THERE WAS SOME HURDLES IN </b> <b>THE STATE SENATE.</b> <b>WHAT WERE SOME OF THE BILL'S </b> <b>HURDLES THAT PREVENTED IT FROM </b> <b>GETTING OVER THE FINISH LINE?</b> <b>>> I THINK THERE'S BEEN A SERIES</b> <b>OF CULTURAL SHIFTS IN THE WAY WE</b> <b>VIEW RAPE.</b> <b>I THINK THAT WAS DEFINITELY A </b> <b>COMPONENT AND JUST MORE </b> <b>POLITICAL WILL TO HAVE THIS </b> <b>GETTING OVER THE FINISH LINE AS </b> <b>OPPOSE TO DO BEFORE.</b> <b>I THINK ONE OF THE LAWMAKERS </b> <b>SAID THERE WAS AN ARCHAIC VIEW </b> <b>ON HOW WE VIEW THE SUBJECT OR </b> <b>TALK ABOUT THE SUBJECT.</b> <b>I THINK THAT DEFINITELY HAS BEEN</b> <b>A HUGE COMPONENT IN GETTING IT </b> <b>OVER THE FINISH LINE.</b> <b>I WOULD LIKE TO REITERATE, </b> <b>HAVING THE FIRST FEMALE </b> <b>GOVERNOR, I THINK THAT </b> <b>DEFINITELY HELPS.</b> <b>ESPECIALLY WITH PAST REPUBLICAN </b> <b>LEADERSHIP.</b> <b>I THINK THINGS ARE A LITTLE </b> <b>DIFFERENT NOW COMPARED TO THE </b> <b>PAST.</b> <b>>> DEFINITELY.</b> <b>IN THE GOVERNOR'S REMARKS SHE </b> <b>BROUGHT UP E. JEAN CARROLL'S </b> <b>CASE, WHICH THE WRITER ACCUSED </b> <b>FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP OF</b> <b>RAPE.</b> <b>THE FORMER PRESIDENT WAS NOT </b> <b>CONVICTED OF RAPE, AND THE JUDGE</b> <b>IN THAT SPECIFIC CASE CITED THE </b> <b>STATE'S NARROW AND TECHNICAL </b> <b>DEFINITION OF RAPE AS ONE OF THE</b> <b>REASONS WHY THE JURY DID NOT </b> <b>MOVE FORWARD WITH THE RAPE </b> <b>CHARGE.</b> <b>IT SEEMS LIKE THIS IS SOMETHING </b> <b>THAT DEFINITELY PROSECUTORS WERE</b> <b>AWARE OF, BUT THE STATE HAD A </b> <b>VERY NARROW VIEW OF RAPE, AND IT</b> <b>WAS JUST A MATTER OF TIME.</b> <b>FROM A LEGALITY STANDPOINT, HOW </b> <b>WILL THIS HELP SURVIVORS AND </b> <b>PROSECUTORS MOVE FORWARD WITH </b> <b>RAPE CHARGES?</b> <b>>> WELL, AS YOU SAID, IT </b> <b>BROADENS THE DEFINITION.</b> <b>PREVIOUSLY THE DEFINITION OF </b> <b>RAPE WAS VAGINAL PENETRATION.</b> <b>NOW IT'S BROADER TO ANAL AND </b> <b>ORAL PENETRATION.</b> <b>IT OPENS THE DOOR FOR US TO </b> <b>DISCUSS RAPE WHEN IT COMES TO </b> <b>LGBTQ COMMUNITY AND REALLY A LOT</b> <b>OF -- AS YOU SAID, IN THE CASE </b> <b>OF LYDIA CUOMO, THEY COULDN'T </b> <b>PROVE THERE WAS VAGINAL </b> <b>PENETRATION, SO HE WAS CONVICTED</b> <b>OF SEXUAL ASSAULT.</b> <b>I THINK WE'RE REALLY TALKING </b> <b>ABOUT MORE THE IDEA THAT IT </b> <b>DOESN'T HAVE TO BE JUST A </b> <b>VAGINAL -- LIKE YOU SAID, IT'S A</b> <b>VERY NARROW DEFINITION.</b> <b>>> YEAH.</b> <b>>> IT REALLY OPENS THE DOOR FOR</b> <b>A LOT MORE CLAIMS AND THINGS </b> <b>LIKE THAT.</b> <b>>> ALSO, IT JUST KIND OF </b> <b>INSURES INCLUSIVITY, AND IT </b> <b>INCLUDES ALL FORMS OF </b> <b>NONCONSENSUAL SEX.</b> <b>IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE VAGINAL </b> <b>PENETRATION BY A PENIS.</b> <b>I HOPE HOCHUL SAID THIS EARLIER </b> <b>IN THE WEEK.</b> <b>IT WILL BE EASIER FOR VICTIMS TO</b> <b>HOLD PERPETRATORS ACCOUNTABLE IN</b> <b>THE COURT OF LAW BECAUSE OF THIS</b> <b>EXPANDED LEGAL DEFINITION.</b> <b>>> WHAT WAS INTERESTING TO ME </b> <b>WAS THAT NEW YORK DEFINITELY </b> <b>ISN'T A LEADER IN THIS.</b> <b>IN FACT, THERE ARE SEVERAL </b> <b>STATES WHO HAVE ALREADY EXPANDED</b> <b>THE DEFINITION OF RAPE TO </b> <b>INCLUDE THESE OTHER FORMS OF </b> <b>FORCED SEXUAL CONTACT.</b> <b>WHAT DOES THIS SAY ABOUT THE </b> <b>STATE THAT NEW YORK TOOK SO LONG</b> <b>TO KIND OF BRING THIS OVER THE </b> <b>FINISH LINE?</b> <b>>> I MEAN, I TALKED TO A FEW </b> <b>PEOPLE ABOUT THIS, AND I WAS </b> <b>VERY SURPRISED THAT THEY DID NOT</b> <b>KNOW THIS.</b> <b>THEY WERE SURPRISED THAT IT'S </b> <b>JUST THE LEGAL DEFINITION.</b> <b>I THINK, AGAIN, SOME OF THE </b> <b>ASPECTS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT </b> <b>PREVIOUSLY, THE FIRST FEMALE </b> <b>GOVERNOR AND REALLY BRINGING </b> <b>THESE ISSUES UP INTO THE </b> <b>FOREFRONT, IT JUST HADN'T BEEN </b> <b>TALKED ABOUT I THINK MUCH OR </b> <b>PEOPLE DIDN'T KNOW.</b> <b>>> AS YOU SAID, PEOPLE DIDN'T </b> <b>KNOW.</b> <b>NOW THIS IS A HUGE CHANGE AND </b> <b>EXPANSION OF THE DEFINITION.</b> <b>WHAT CAN LAWMAKERS AND </b> <b>PROSECUTORS DO TO INSURE THAT </b> <b>PEOPLE ARE AWARE OF THIS BIG </b> <b>CHANGE?</b> <b>>> I DEFINITELY THINK THERE </b> <b>NEEDS TO BE A PUBLIC AWARENESS </b> <b>CAMPAIGN.</b> <b>I KNOW A LOT OF LAWMAKERS AND </b> <b>THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE REALLY </b> <b>CARRIED THIS BILL.</b> <b>THEY HAD THEIR WHOLE PRESS </b> <b>CONFERENCE EARLIER IN THE WEEK.</b> <b>I THINK THEY MIGHT HAVE PUBLIC </b> <b>AWARENESS CAMPAIGNS.</b> <b>THAT'S JUST A GUESS.</b> <b>JUST TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC.</b> <b>I KNOW, AS YOU SAID, </b> <b>PROSECUTORS, DAs, EVERYONE IS </b> <b>AWARE THAT THERE NEEDED TO BE A </b> <b>CHANGE.</b> <b>EVEN THE JUDGE IN THE TRUMP CASE</b> <b>ACKNOWLEDGED IT.</b> <b>I THINK MAYBE AS TIME GOES WE'LL</b> <b>SEE HOW THAT UNFOLDS.</b> <b>>> I THINK THE TRUMP TRIAL ALSO </b> <b>HAS DONE A LOT OF PUBLIC </b> <b>AWARENESS WITHIN ITSELF.</b> <b>I MEAN, THE WHOLE NATION WAS </b> <b>WATCHING.</b> <b>I THINK MAYBE NOT JUST -- I </b> <b>THINK THE WAY WE TALK ABOUT RAPE</b> <b>AND IT BEING MORE OF A PUBLIC </b> <b>ISSUE JUST WITHIN ITSELF, THE </b> <b>ISSUE OF RAPE ALONE I THINK WILL</b> <b>HELP THE CONVERSATION.</b> <b>>> GOING BACK TO THE WAYS IN </b> <b>WHICH THIS BILL -- OR THIS LAW </b> <b>WILL HELP THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY </b> <b>AND HIS REMARKS, SENATOR BRAD </b> <b>HOYLMAN-SIGAL UNDERSCORED THIS </b> <b>POINT.</b> <b>HE JUST SAID THE STUDIES OF HOW </b> <b>MANY TRANSGENDER PEOPLE ARE </b> <b>EXPERIENCING RAPE AND ARE </b> <b>FEARFUL TO COME FORWARD BECAUSE </b> <b>OF THE CHALLENGES.</b> <b>WHAT ARE SOME OTHER WAYS THAT WE</b> <b>CAN CONTINUE TO HELP THIS </b> <b>COMMUNITY REPORT RAPE AND SEXUAL</b> <b>MISCONDUCT?</b> <b>>> WELL, I THINK THE SENATOR </b> <b>SPOKE ABOUT HOW THE PREVIOUS </b> <b>DEFINITION, THE OLD DEFINITION </b> <b>WAS SUPER HETERO-NORMATIVE.</b> <b>I THINK THE PUBLIC AWARENESS </b> <b>CAMPAIGN IS NECESSARY JUST TO </b> <b>ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE ARE </b> <b>VARIOUS FORMS OF NONCONSENSUAL </b> <b>SEX THAT MAY RESULT IN THINGS </b> <b>LIKE THAT.</b> <b>SO I DEFINITELY THINK JUST </b> <b>PUBLIC AWARENESS.</b> <b>THEN EVEN JUST THE SIMPLE </b> <b>CHANGE.</b> <b>I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE </b> <b>VICTIMS FINALLY WILL HAVE A </b> <b>MEANS TO COME FORWARD WITH THEIR</b> <b>CASE IF THEY CHOOSE TO.</b> <b>>> I THINK A MAJOR COMPONENT IS</b> <b>EDUCATION.</b> <b>I MEAN, TO TALK TO PEOPLE THAT </b> <b>NO MEANS NO AND REALLY THE </b> <b>MORE -- YEAH, I GUESS EDUCATION </b> <b>TO EVERYONE, ALL ACROSS THE </b> <b>BOARD.</b> <b>>> I WANT TO GET BOTH OF YOUR </b> <b>PERSPECTIVE'S ON THE RED ROOM </b> <b>SIGNING OF THE BILL.</b> <b>I WOULD SAY A LOT OF THE </b> <b>SIGNINGS OF BILLS ARE VERY </b> <b>INFORMATIVE.</b> <b>THEY ARE JUST VERY CELEBRATORY.</b> <b>THIS ONE DEFINITELY FELT VERY </b> <b>HEAVY.

</b> <b>A LOT OF THE REMARKS FROM THE </b> <b>SENATE SPONSOR, IT WAS VERY </b> <b>EMOTIONAL, VERY FILLED WITH A </b> <b>LOT OF PASSION.</b> <b>DID YOU GUYS FEEL THAT AS WELL?</b> <b>>> ABSOLUTELY.</b> <b>I SAW WOMEN CRYING.</b> <b>IT SEEMED LIKE THIS WAS JUST </b> <b>SOMETHING THAT SOME PEOPLE, </b> <b>LYDIA CUOMO HAD BEEN WORKING FOR</b> <b>FOR SO LONG.</b> <b>I CAN'T IMAGINE WHAT THAT WOULD </b> <b>BE LIKE.</b> <b>>> YOU ALSO FELT A HEAVINESS IN </b> <b>THE ROOM.</b> <b>JUST I THINK IT WAS AN EMOTIONAL</b> <b>MOMENT FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE IN </b> <b>JUST PASSING THIS AS WELL.</b> <b>>> YEAH.</b> <b>AND THEN BEFORE THE BILL WAS </b> <b>SIGNED BY THE GOVERNOR, THE </b> <b>LEGISLATURE DID PASS A REVISED </b> <b>VERSION WITH CHAPTER AMENDMENTS,</b> <b>AND USUALLY WE DON'T SEE THAT.</b> <b>USUALLY WE'LL SEE THE GOVERNOR </b> <b>WILL PASS A BILL WITH CHAPTER </b> <b>AMENDMENTS WITH THESE SPECIFIC </b> <b>CHANGES.</b> <b>THE BILL CAN THEN MOVE FORWARD </b> <b>AND BECOME LAW.</b> <b>WHAT WAS THE POLITICAL STRATEGY </b> <b>OF THE LEGISLATURE DOING THAT?</b> <b>>> HOCHUL WAS ASKED ABOUT THAT.</b> <b>I THINK THERE'S PROBABLY SOME </b> <b>TRUTH TO THE FACT THAT TO MAKE </b> <b>THAT KIND OF SHIFT IN PENAL CODE</b> <b>IS THAT THERE MUST HAVE BEEN A </b> <b>LOT OF WORK BEHIND THE SCENES TO</b> <b>DO THAT ACROSS THE BOARD.</b> <b>I'M SURE, LIKE EVERY BILL, THERE</b> <b>WAS DETAILS THAT WENT BACK AND </b> <b>FORTH BETWEEN THE ASSEMBLY, </b> <b>SENATE, AND THE GOVERNOR'S </b> <b>OFFICE.</b> <b>WE'RE NOT -- I DON'T THINK -- WE</b> <b>DON'T KNOW THE CONVERSATIONS </b> <b>THAT WENT ON, BUT I DO THINK </b> <b>THERE'S A LOT OF TRUTH TO THE </b> <b>FACT THAT THEY PROBABLY HAD TO </b> <b>DO A LOT OF OVERALL CHANGE IN </b> <b>THE LANGUAGE AROUND THIS ISSUE.</b> <b>>> REALLY QUICKLY, BECAUSE WE </b> <b>ARE RUNNING OUT OF TIME, WHERE </b> <b>DO WE GO FROM HERE?</b> <b>NOW THAT THE BILL IS FINALLY </b> <b>INTO LAW, WHAT ARE SOME WAYS </b> <b>THAT THE LAWMAKERS CAN CONTINUE </b> <b>TO HELP SURVIVORS IN THE YEARS </b> <b>TO COME?</b> <b>>> I THINK WHENEVER A LAW IS </b> <b>PASSED, YOU KIND OF SEE IT ROLL </b> <b>OUT EFFECTIVELY, AND THAT'S WHEN</b> <b>AMENDMENTS COME IN.</b> <b>I DEFINITELY THINK THAT TIME </b> <b>WILL TELL.</b> <b>I THINK THE LAW TAKES EFFECT </b> <b>SEPTEMBER 1st.</b> <b>SO WE STILL HAVE A WAYS TO GO.</b> <b>I'M SURE IF ANY ADVOCATES RAISE </b> <b>ISSUES WITH CERTAIN PARTS, THEY </b> <b>MIGHT MAKE CHANGES.</b> <b>>> YEAH, I AGREE.</b> <b>THERE'S ALWAYS A ROCKY ROLL-OUT </b> <b>TO ANYTHING.</b> <b>I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF </b> <b>CONVERSATION AROUND -- WE'VE </b> <b>SEEN CHANGES TO THE SEX OFFENDER</b> <b>LIST.</b> <b>I THINK REALLY, LIKE SHE SAID, </b> <b>TIME WILL TELL.</b> <b>>> UNFORTUNATELY, WE'LL HAVE TO</b> <b>LEAVE IT HERE FOR NOW.</b> <b>THANK YOU BOTH FOR JOINING US </b> <b>TODAY.</b> <b>>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING US.</b> <b>>> WE WERE SPEAKING WITH </b> <b>MAYSOON KHAN OF THE ASSOCIATED </b> <b>PRESS AND ASHLEY HUPFL OF THE </b> <b>DAILY GAZETTE.

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