Gloria Steinem joined the rally at City Hall after a bombshell report in the New York Times last month detailed how many NYPD detectives allegedly dismissed and New York University student’s claim of rape.

“This story symbolizes the fact that something is terribly lacking with the NYPD's Special Victims Division,” said Steinem.

“Mayor De Blasio is not a lame duck. He can ensure the NYPD takes immediate action to provide public safety and restore the public's trust," said Sonia Ossorio, President of the National Organization for Women - New York. "Either he cares about delivering the best service to rape victims or he's fine with the status quo." 

A Manhattan jury found disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein guilty on two counts; third degree rape and criminal sex act. The verdict is seen as a victory for the ‘Me Too’ movement, however this case is the tip of the iceberg in a pervasive culture of abuse against women.

“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