Four John Does Were Ready to File Child Victims Act Lawsuits Against Afrika Bambaataa and the Zulu Nation
Age as a Barrier to Justice
Afrika Bambaataa in 1982, Getty Images
Over several years, I interviewed alleged victims, experts, and others close to the Bambaataa story for a documentary. Since 2016, there was tremendous public interest in the allegations of child sexual abuse against Afrika Bambaataa and the Zulu Nation. This year, after the last studio declined the project, I released the interview footage on YouTube. On June 14, 2021, the first interview on the Zulu Nation aired.
A silent cadre of men, strangers to each other, watched each episode. The summer of 2021 was beginning and August 14th was approaching fast. Here’s why those dates were important.
New York passed the Child Victims Act (CVA) which gave adult survivors a “look-back window” to pursue civil actions against perpetrators of child sexual abuse. Under the CVA, a child could pursue criminal action until the child reached the age of 23. A child could pursue civil actions seeking damages and other remedies until the age of 55.
August 14, 2021, was the CVA “look-back window” deadline.
The Zulu Nation interviews I had conducted kept airing three times a week.
Photo: Alvin Decena
Some messages I received
“I don’t want to be interviewed, but Bambaataa did that to me. Get their ass.”
“This is hard to watch. I didn’t know it was so many. I thought it was only me.”
“I’m one of the boy scouts that was abused. You’re a good woman.”
“This is difficult, but therapeutic. I didn’t know all that was going on.”
“I don’t want to tell my story but I’m glad you’re putting them on blast.”
Four John Does
Photo: Cottonbro
Four separate men came forward weeks before the August 14th CVA deadline.
Attorney Hugo Ortega, of Tanner and Ortega, interviewed each one. It was devastating when he told me, “Once a victim reaches their 55th birthday, they cannot sue.” When he said this, I vaguely remembered this “age of 55” thing but was confused. Even NY1 had reported that victims over 55 could seek civil action during the look-back window.
Three John Does were immediately disqualified, and only one John Doe remained.
I profusely apologized to each of them individually for having been confused about such an important qualification. Even today, the internet is full of misinformation about the New York Child Victims Act and I, myself, bungled on certain details.
They ended up consoling ME instead of the other way around.
The Four John Does handled the news with dignity and strength and the remaining John Doe would carry the torch for all. Metropolis