Earlier media mentions and bylines appear under my former name, Leslie McFadden.

Featured on the SASS podcast:

A Gut Punch

Leslie’s experience is a powerful example of the systemic issues that many survivors face.

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Op-ed in The Hill | Read more

“By making its findings public and enforcing reforms, the Justice Department would address the widespread issues survivors have experienced for more than a decade…anything less would tell survivors like me that justice was never the point.”

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A woman with dark hair wearing a patterned shirt walks along a sidewalk lined with bushes in front of houses during daylight.

NY1 Investigation: How the NYPD treats sexual assault survivors

McFadden would become one of 19 survivors to urge the federal Department of Justice to open an investigation into how the NYPD handled sexual assault survivors and their cases.

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Woman in sleeveless denim dress standing with hands in pockets in a bar or restaurant setting.

A power walk: Lake City native McFadden takes part in sexual assault survivor fashion show

Leslie McFadden, a Lake City native, walks on the catwalk last week during the fourth annual Survivor Fashion Show in New York City. McFadden was drugged and raped in 2015.

Close-up of a document labeled 'Integrity Seal' with spaces for date, signature, and authority, held in a person's hand.

Rape victim said NYPD rape kit fail shows problems persist

A rape survivor who signed a 2021 letter that helped spark a federal probe into the NYPD’s Special Victims Division is galled by the magnitude of the rape-kit bungle — and said even one neglected rape case is too many.

A young woman with shoulder-length dark hair and earrings standing outdoors near a large tree, with a blurred background of nature.

NYC sex-assault survivors ask feds to probe NYPD over alleged gender bias

Leslie McFadden, one of the letter’s signers, told The Post she expected a swift and thorough investigation when she reported her rape to the NYPD in October 2015 but instead, she was tricked into closing the case.

Red brick building at the corner of Grand Park with several cars parked in front and pedestrians walking by.

NYPD Special Victims unit faces Justice Department probe into allegations cops ‘re-traumatizing’ sex assault victims

Leslie McFadden said the cops’ handling of her report about being drugged and raped by a co-worker six years ago compounded her trauma. “The very first question [the detective] asked me at the start of the interview was whether this was really a case of sexual assault — or just a case of regret,” McFadden testified.

A man in a dark suit and glasses standing at a wooden podium giving a speech in a large, indoor setting with several people in the audience.

Trump’s Victory Could Mean End of Inquiry Into N.Y.P.D. Sex Crimes Unit

“For years, I carried that guilt that I didn’t do what I needed to do in that call and that I was the reason the case failed,” said Ms. McFadden, who eventually left New York because of the attack. “That is not how any survivor should be treated.”

Close-up of a police officer's shoulder with a New York Police Department patch.

Sex assault victims blast NYPD’s troubled Special Victims Division

Leslie McFadden testified she was drugged and raped by a co-worker six years ago.

“My experience with the NYPD, however, was far worse,” she said. “The very first question [the detective] asked me at the start of the interview was whether this was really a case of sexual assault — or just a case of regret.”

Donald Trump speaking at a podium with American flags in the background.

N.Y.P.D.’s Handling of Sex Crimes to Be Investigated by Justice Dept.

Leslie McFadden, one of the signers, said Thursday she was “ecstatic” that the Justice Department had decided to act. Police officials have acknowledged investigators made grave errors in the investigation into her report that a former colleague drugged and raped her in October 2015.

Three people sitting at a conference table in a meeting room, two men and a woman, all wearing face masks. The man in the middle is wearing a gray suit, while the other man and woman are in dark suits. There are papers, water bottles, and electronic devices on the table, and framed photographs hanging on the wall behind them.

Council hearing shows lapses in NYPD sexual assault investigations

“It's time the NYPD be made to care,” [McFadden] said. “We need top down changes in how the NYPD investigates sexual assault cases. We need better trained detectives who will treat traumatized victims with compassion and conduct thorough investigations every single time. It's not too much to ask.”