The Mayor's Office to End Domestic and Gender-Based Violence

Monthly Bulletin

March 2021

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Commissioner’s Message

Cecile Noel

During this Women’s History and Social Workers Month, we would be remiss not to remember that the Bureau of Labor reports that more than 80% of all social workers today are women. We salute our social workers, the community builders and keepers who work tirelessly on behalf of survivors of domestic and gender-based violence everyday.

This month, we are also celebrating with advocates nationwide on the House of Representatives’ passing a VAWA bill that would improve and expand services for victims and survivors, with provisions to make safe housing more accessible and ensure that state unemployment benefits cannot be denied to individuals who leave their jobs due to sexual harassment or assault, domestic or dating violence, or stalking.

This month, we are also celebrating with advocates nationwide on the House of Representatives’ passing a VAWA bill that would improve and expand services for victims and survivors, with provisions to make safe housing more accessible and ensure that state unemployment benefits cannot be denied to individuals who leave their jobs due to sexual harassment or assault, domestic or dating violence, or stalking.

In addition, this week the New York City Council passed the Council Resolution on Police Reform, which builds on the proposals outlined in the New York City Police Reform and Reinvention Collaborative draft plan that Mayor Bill de Blasio released earlier this month. The plan aims to confront the painful legacy of racialized policing and deepen accountability and improve the relationship between police and the communities they serve. As New York City moves to reform policing and its role in our City, we know it is critical to consider domestic and gender-based violence survivors, particularly survivors from marginalized communities, including Black survivors, survivors of color, LGBTQI+ survivors and survivors with disabilities in that process. And we must simultaneously develop additional options for survivors who do not want, and may never want, to engage with the criminal justice system by deepening our investments in community-based resources.

New Yorkers can access information about the plan, the Council resolution, and provide public comment to the recommendations in the plan online. The key components of the plan related to responding to domestic and gender-based violence include a commitment to: consolidate the coordination of all crime victim service programs into one agency to better support crime victims; improve support for victims of domestic, gender-based and family violence through access to community-based resources; and develop new policies and approaches to combatting sex trafficking that focus on traffickers, and do not entangle victims or those selling sex in the criminal justice system. The steps we plan to take in our City’s approach to human trafficking are aimed at reducing barriers that keep New Yorkers from accessing services – including barriers faced by sex workers and people who have experienced trafficking or exploitation. Improving community engagement supports that and will improve the NYPD’s ability to identify and prosecute traffickers without criminalizing sex workers. We look forward to working with our City and community partners and building on our response to human trafficking.

WHAT’S NEW

In ENDGBV’s work in gender-based violence, we have witnessed the layers of oppression that Amerians face—those of race, sex, immigration status, documentation, and more. Racism and sexism work in tandem against survivors, and results in multiple barriers for survivors—including whether law enforcement takes their reports seriously, whether it is possible to get a living wage job, or even go to the supermarket without fear of harassment. Racism and misogyny increase one’s vulnerability to harassment and assault, including sexual violence, and perpetuates gender-based violence. We must continue our work to make our communities safe for everyone. Find our full statement of support for the AAPI community on our website.

ENDGBV IN THE NEWS

NYC mayor looks to decriminalize sex work, Queens to dismiss 700 cases

See full story on WABC

De Blasio appeals for more resources to help combat domestic violence in New York City

See full story at amNY

A plan in New York City seeks to provide more support to victims of gender-based violence

Read full story on UNIVISION

Victim of abuse? Know someone? Staten Island coalition offers a way out

See full story at the Staten Island Advance

Mayor's Fund Provides $62 Million in Relief to Immigrants, Food to Health Care Workers

See full story at the Gotham Gazette

Opinion: Teen dating violence spans cultures, locations and demographics / By NYC End Gender-Based Violence VOICES Committee

See full story at the Queens Daily Eagle

COVID-19 UPDATES

Get the latest updates on COVID-19 in New York City, and keep up with the latest citywide service modifications on the City’s Agency Suspensions and Reductions page.

The NYC Family Justice Centers (FJCs) remain available by phone to offer survivors guidance on immediate safety planning, shelter assistance, legal consultations, counseling sessions, case management sessions, community resources, and more. Survivors can call the Center in their borough on Mondays through Fridays, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.:

Brooklyn FJC: (718) 250-5113

Bronx FJC: (718) 508-1220

Manhattan FJC: (212) 602-2800

Queens FJC: (718) 575-4545

Staten Island FJC: (718) 697-4300

After hours and on weekends, survivors can:

Call the City's 24-hour Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-621-4673 (1-800-621-HOPE) or using TTY: 1-800-810-7444

Visit NYC HOPE (www.nyc.gov/NYCHOPE) for additional community resources and information.

The COVID-19 vaccine is now available to certain groups in NYC. These groups have recently become eligible:

People ages 50 and older

People with comorbidities

Learn which groups are currently eligible for the vaccine, and which may be eligible next and find a vaccine site location for eligible New Yorkers, including seniors over age 65, using the Vaccine Finder at https://vaccinefinder.nyc.gov or call: 1-877-VAX4NYC

ICYMI

ENDGBV Releases

Impact Survey for GBV Survivors

Survivors of gender-based violence in NYC can now submit responses for our anonymous survey gauging the impacts of COVID-19 on survivors. The survey is available in all NYC Local Law languages, including English, Russian, Spanish, Arabic, Bangla, French, Haitian Creole, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Urdu, and simplified and traditional Chinese.

On OpenDataNYC

At ENDGBV, we measure the effectiveness of our NYC Healthy Relationship Academy regularly. See our latest dataset for the pre-post workshop surveys, now available on NYC Open Data.

NYS Extends Ban on Evictions Through May 2021

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today signed the COVID-19 Emergency Eviction and Foreclosure Prevention Act of 2020. The Act (S.9114/A.11181) prevents residential evictions, foreclosure proceedings, credit discrimination and negative credit reporting related to the COVID-19 pandemic. It also extends the Senior Citizens' Homeowner Exemption and Disabled Homeowner Exemption from 2020 to 2021. The Act adds to New York State's efforts to protect tenants and homeowners from the economic hardship incurred as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Learn more

Get Covered, New York

NYS has extended the Special Enrollment Period for uninsured New Yorkers through May 15, 2021. New Yorkers can apply for coverage through New York State's health insurance marketplace, or directly through insurers.

NYC Care health coverage is available to all New Yorkers If you cannot afford or are not eligible for health insurance, you can enroll to access comprehensive and affordable primary, preventative, and specialized health care at NYC H+H hospitals. Call 646-NYC-CARE (646-692-2273) or visit a NYC H+H location to enroll.

The NYC Test & Trace Corps gets New Yorkers tested for COVID-19 and provides resources to those testing positive, including free temporary isolation housing at hotels for people who do not require medical care and are unable to isolate where they live. The Corps are committed to protecting the privacy and security of New Yorkers’ personal and health information to the maximum extent permitted by federal, state and city law. NYC H+H is also offering Express COVID testing that can provide results in 24 hours. Learn more about testing, or find out if you are in a COVID-19 zone

IN THE NEWS

No Shame On You: Is Humiliation Gendered?

Read full story at Ms. Magazine

OPINION: Cuomo’s Gender-Based Violence Includes His Failure to Free Imprisoned Survivors

Read full story at TRUTHOUT.ORG

FIRST PERSON ESSAY: How the history of spas and sex work fits into the conversation about the Atlanta shootings

See full story at Vox

Equality Act that would bar LGBTQ, gender identity discrimination faces uphill battle in Senate

See full story at ABC News

House passes renewed effort to reauthorize Violence Against Women Act

See full story at UPI

Violence Against Women Act to offer support to LGBTQ survivors

See full story at Yahoo News

Atlanta Shooting Shows How Police Are Failing Asian Women

See full story at VICE

Cities aren’t designed for women. Sarah Everard’s murder shows us the consequences.

See full story at Vox

UN Women: COVID-19 Is `Most Discriminatory Crisis' for Women

See full story at ABC News

Supreme Court dismisses case related to Trump era 'public charge' rule

See full story at CNN

What Sexual Assault Survivors Want President Biden to Change About Title IX

See full story at Teen Vogue

Devastatingly pervasive: 1 in 3 women globally experience violence Younger women among those most at risk

See full story at the World Health Organization

Lawmakers offer gun control bill to end 'boyfriend loophole'

See the full story at The Hill

Mass Shooters Often Have A History Of Violence Against Women

See full story at NPR

Disclaimer: We believe in the principles of open dialogue and considering varying perspectives. Viewpoints or opinions expressed in the content of this communication or in articles linked do not necessarily reflect the positions or policies of the Mayor’s Office to End Domestic and Gender-Based Violence, or the City of New York.

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The Office to Combat Domestic Violence (OCDV) is now the Office to End Domestic and Gender-Based Violence. Find out more at www.nyc.gov/ENDGBV

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