“This is not a signal that our systems and institutions are magically transformed,” said Sonia Ossorio, the president of the National Organization for Women’s New York chapter, who sat through most of the trial. “This is one case, one man. We’ve got to keep it in perspective.”
Advocates for victims of sex crimes were fired up outside City Hall. They said was a series of mistakes by the Special Victims Division that allowed the suspect to dodge the rape charge even after his fingerprints were found on a condom wrapper inside the victim’s apartment
“I am so appalled and so angry at even the possibility,” said Assemblywoman Aravella Simotas, a Democrat who represents a neighboring district in Queens and who sponsored a package of anti-sexual harassment laws last year. “We elected so many young progressive women to fight for us. The last thing we need is to take a huge step backward.”