To Report Sexual Abuse or Harassment of a VOA Resident
Volunteers of America complies with the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) of 2003 and has a zero-tolerance stance towards all forms of sexual abuse and sexual harassment. VOA has extensive policies and procedures in place (in adherence with PREA) that are applicable to residents, staff, volunteers, visitors and contractors. Our zero-tolerance stance includes education, prevention, detection and immediate response to incidents.
Anyone wishing to report acts or allegations of sexual abuse or sexual harassment of an incarcerated individual in a New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS) facility should report to the facility or the DOCCS Office of Special Investigations (OSI). Anyone may report an incident of sexual victimization involving an incarcerated individual or a releasee to the DOCCS OSI by calling 1-844-OSI-4NYS. Additional reporting information including an online complaint form is available at doccs.ny.gov/prea.
Volunteers of America of Western New York has successfully passed a PREA audit of the agency’s Residential Reentry Center at 175 Ward Street, Rochester, NY in 2016, 2019, and 2022; and a PREA audit of our Community-Based Residential Program at 320 Chenango Street in Binghamton, NY in 2018, 2021, and 2024. The audits assess the compliance with the PREA standards for Community Confinement developed by the United States Department of Justice. The standards are available online at the National PREA Resource Center.
In addition, Volunteers of America completes annual PREA Reports, which can be viewed via the links below: