Kirsten Gillibrand: “I want to be clear, there is nothing in the bill requiring any court to adopt new dismissal mechanisms for victims'…”

“I want to be clear, there is nothing in the bill requiring any court to adopt new dismissal mechanisms for victims' claims. How and when a case moves forward is by virtue of current existing State or Federal law. There is no new mechanism in this bill to allow for dismissal, and there is no reason to require victims to have to prove a sexual assault or harassment claim prior to trial or have it go back through a forced arbitration process. Civil assault and battery claims are very difficult to prove under especially arcane State laws. But this bill allows any conduct alleging a violation of those laws, and any claims related to such conduct, to move forward together in one case. ____________________”