October marks Domestic Violence (DV) Awareness Month. Between 2017 and 2018, intimate partner homicides in the Bronx increased by 85.7 percent, from seven in 2017, to 13 in 2018, according to a 2019 report by the New York City DV Fatality Review Committee. Meanwhile, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported in 2017 that one in four women, and one in seven men will be victims of DV or abuse in their lifetime.

 

On Friday, Oct. 1, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced $6.5 million in funding that will allow state-licensed service providers to offer survivors of domestic violence and their families options for assistance and support, instead of relying on shelter-based services. Representatives from the governor’s office said the funding will also be used to enhance DV prevention programs.

 

In the context of the funding announcement, Hochul said, “We have come so far since the time that my mother advocated for domestic violence survivors, but our mission to put an end to the abuse and suffering that too many have had to endure is far from over.” She added, “Our systems must evolve and we must continue to offer innovative solutions to meet the needs of survivors and families, wherever they are.”

 

The 52nd precinct in the Bronx which covers Bedford Park, Fordham, Kingsbridge, Norwood, Bronx Park, and University Heights registered 1,978 calls from victims of DV who were in need of assistance over the course of 2020. It was the same number in 2019. The 22nd precinct in Manhattan recorded 19 calls in 2020. The 52 also recorded one of the highest numbers in terms of DV offenders per precinct, at 1,094.

 

Recently, officers from the @NYPD46Pct teamed up with the Bronx Warrant Squad to apprehend a suspect who was wanted for firing a gun during a domestic dispute in July.

Not only did they find & arrest the suspect, but they also safely recovered these two loaded guns he possessed. pic.twitter.com/M5oQiLw2hb

— NYPD NEWS (@NYPDnews) September 29, 2021

 

In fact, across the City, collectively, the most DV calls in 2020 were recorded in the Bronx with the 43rd precinct, which covers Westchester Avenue, Castle Hill Avenue, White Plains Road, and Parkchester, recording the highest number of calls for an individual precinct, at 2,745.

 

It should be noted that nonprofit representatives who work with survivors of DV have long said that, similar to victims of sexual violence, DV victims (who can also be victims of sexual violence) do not always call police for a variety of reasons, including past reports of some police officers who were found to have abused victims in their custody, as reported by Gothamist.

 

On Friday, Oct. 1, as reported, an NYPD officer was arrested in the 50th precinct on alleged assault charges in the context of a domestic violence incident.

 

This is despite the fact that the NYPD operates a DV unit in which officers are specifically trained in how to handle DV cases. As reported by Norwood News last year, retired NYPD Chief Nilda Irizarry Hoffman said of the unit, “I think the NYPD has done incredible when it comes to that.”

 

She added, “I’ve seen so much oversight over that unit and constant checks to ensure that every regulation that needs to be followed is followed, and usually, that’s why they’re the top notch officers that are assigned to domestic violence. I mean, besides, they do that job because they care about people. They want to keep people safe. I cannot say anything more highly about them and the work that they do during these difficult times.”

 

In addition to the announced funding, Hochul also highlighted a new “technology safety and innovation for survivors” public awareness campaign, which will be coordinated by the State Office for the Prevention of DV (OPDV), and will shine a light on technology’s role in abuse.

 

Administered by the State Office of Children and Family Services, the governor’s $6.5 million will support two initiatives:

• $4.8 million to 79 service providers statewide to provide housing for DV survivors. 

• $1.7 million to five nonprofit organizations that offer DV prevention programs. Each of these programs will receive $342,380: Retreat, Inc. in East Hampton, the New York City Gay and Lesbian Anti-Violence Project, Unity House of Troy, Vera House in Syracuse and Family Justice Center of Erie County.

 

 

To highlight the beginning of DV awareness month, Hochul also directed the following New York State landmarks to be illuminated purple on Oct. 1:

• One World Trade Center
• Grand Central Terminal – Pershing Square Viaduct
• MTA LIRR – East End Gateway at Penn Station
• The Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge
• The Kosciuszko Bridge
• The Franklin D. Roosevelt Mid-Hudson Bridge
• The H. Carl McCall SUNY Building
• State Education Building
• Alfred E. Smith State Office Building
• Albany International Airport Gateway
• The Lake Placid Olympic Jumping Complex
• The Main Gate and Expo Center at the State Fairgrounds
• Niagara Falls

 

According to representatives from the governor’s office, OPDV‘s new social media campaign will also highlight technology’s intersection with DV, and spread awareness of the forms of technology-assisted abuse. They said while technology provides survivors with access to information, safety planning, and allows them to connect with their support systems, abusive partners use it to cause further harm to their partners. 

 

In addition to OPDV’s campaign on Twitter (@NYSOPDV), Facebook (@NYSdomesticviolence) and Instagram (@nysopdv), the agency will sponsor a panel discussion featuring representatives from Facebook, Apple, Norton LifeLock and experts in academia to discuss emerging risks related to technology-assisted abuse, as well as mobile advocacy and other innovations to help survivors.

 

Scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 20, the discussion, “Balancing Technology Innovation and Safety in the Context of Gender-Based Violence,” is designed for service providers, advocates and victim assistance professionals.

 

Later this month, OPDV will also release a new publication to help survivors and advocates understand technology-assisted abuse, and provide concrete tools and steps to protect privacy and safety in a digital world. 

 

 

Last year, Norwood News reported on the expansion of certain programs in the Bronx to assist survivors of DV. In the context of Stalking Awareness Month last January, we also reported on how technology is indeed sometimes used to stalk victims of DV, as well as the resources that are available to help curb this threat. We also reported previously on the work of local activist in Bronx Community District 7, Heather Guerino, in combating DV. 

 

In addition to the new initiatives, the Office of Victim Services also funds a network of more than 212 community-based programs that provide direct services to victims of crime and their families. The programs help any victim of crime apply for compensation and other assistance from the agency, serving as a safety net for individuals who have no other resources.

 

News of the latest State funding was warmly welcomed by those working with families and individuals affected by DV. Sheila J. Poole is the commissioner of the Office of Children and Family Services and said her agency is proud to administer the federal grant money to allow providers to fund concrete needs for DV survivors, giving them the resources to attain safe housing. “We know that providing families with support and resources is foundational to preventing domestic violence in the first place,” Poole said. 

 

 

Kelli Owens is the executive director of the Office for the Prevention of DV, and said DV awareness month highlights a reality that victims and survivors endure all year long, and lets them know that they are not alone. “Now, more than ever, technology plays an important role in how victims and survivors experience abuse, and how they access domestic violence services,” Owens said. “This October we’re increasing awareness of technology’s importance in transforming and updating service delivery to survivors statewide. We are forever thankful for Governor Hochul’s longstanding commitment and leadership on this important issue.”

 

Meanwhile, Elizabeth Cronin, director of the Office of Victim Services (OVS), said her team were very proud of the work they do at OVS to ensure that crime victims receive the support and resources they need to find safety and thrive. “I commend my state agency colleagues for their work and Gov. Hochul for her strong leadership and advocacy on behalf of all victims and survivors of crime and their families,” Cronin said. 

 

 

Outside of government, much good work is also carried out by various nonprofits in addressing DV, but it has not been all plain sailing. In February 2021, The New York Times reported on the arrest of Victor Rivera, the former president and founder of the Bronx Parent Housing Network, who allegedly engaged in a long pattern of sexual abuse involving vulnerable people who accessed the nonprofit’s housing shelter, including some victims of domestic violence.

 

Advocates who work with victims of domestic violence report that emergency housing is a critical resource, and can be a live-saving outlet for some DV victims. On Sunday, Oct. 3, The New York Times also reported that some New York City executives at different nonprofit groups that operate the City’s homeless shelters are allegedly benefiting from the plight of the people they serve, including some in the Bronx.

 

A person arrested and accused of a crime is innocent unless and until convicted in a court of law.

 

The Office of the Bronx District Attorney is holding the 4th, annual 5K Run / Walk / Roll on Saturday, Oct. 16, to end domestic violence. See attached flyers for details.

 

New York State’s Domestic and Sexual Violence Hotline is available 27/7: 800-942-6906 (call), 844-997-2121 (text) or @opdv.ny.gov (chat). Last year, the state and local hotlines received 252,535 calls for assistance.

Safe Horizon (and other nonprofits) also operate 24-hour hotlines (lláme para ayuda). Call 1-800-621-HOPE (4673). If you are in immediate danger, call 911.