You Shouldn’t Have to Fight This Hard for Justice

Too many survivors are silenced,
disbelieved, or ignored.

Leslie Hunt refused to be one of them—and she's helping others find their voice, too.

Meet Leslie Hunt

Writer and survivor-advocate

Leslie Hunt is a writer and survivor-advocate focused on trauma, institutional failure, and accountability within the justice system.

After being drugged and raped by a colleague in New York, Leslie reported the assault and cooperated fully with law enforcement. Her case was closed without investigation.

She later went public about her experience, speaking with the New York Times, NY1, the New York Post, the New York Daily News, and testifying before the New York City Council. Her advocacy helped spark a Department of Justice investigation into the NYPD’s mishandling of sexual assault cases.

Today, Leslie’s work bridges personal narrative and systemic analysis. She writes Fractured, a Substack newsletter examining trauma, justice, and what happens after reporting. She also works with Rise, a survivor-led organization that advances legislative reform.

Current work:

• Supporting survivor-rights legislation through Rise
• Mentoring survivors preparing for public testimony and legislative advocacy
• Training toward certification in Trauma Incident Reduction—a non-clinical modality for traumatic stress
• Writing and speaking about institutional accountability and justice reform

Woman sitting on a wooden chair in a grassy park during sunset, wearing a patterned long-sleeve top and black pants.

Leslie in the News

“They need to be able to expect that their kits will be tested in a timely manner if they choose to report it to the police,” she said. “That is not what has happened here, and that is unconscionable.”

—The New York Post
“That is not how any survivor should be treated.”

— The New York Times
“The NYPD never held him accountable—I did.”

— The New York Daily News