National Federation of the Blind Lawsuit Alleging a Culture of Sexual Abuse

On Friday, January 6, 2023, Silverman Thompson Slutkin & White filed a lawsuit in the Circuit Court for Baltimore City on behalf of Alyssa Mendez who alleges that in 2018 she was repeatedly sexually abused while still a minor by an NFB-affiliated employee, despite notifying NFB leadership. Ms. Mendez alleges that her experience was not an isolated incident but a result of failure by the leadership of the National Federation of the Blind to enforce its code of conduct and hold accountable those individuals within the organization who have allegedly committed abuse.

Read the full press release HERE. Read the full lawsuit HERE.

Watch Video: Alyssa Mendez encourages others who were abused to come forward.

Additional news articles about the case:

• CNN: The nation’s largest organization for blind people faces lawsuit alleging widespread sexual misconduct and lack of accountability
• The Baltimore Sun: Woman sues Baltimore’s National Federation of the Blind, alleging sexual assault, pattern of perpetuating abuse

If you or a loved one has experienced sexual abuse or harassment as a result of being enrolled in a National Federation of the Blind program, or any programs of its affiliate organizations, please provide your name and contact information so that we can be in touch to discuss your experience.