Monthly Bulletin

MESSAGE FROM ENDGBV

In the month of March we celebrate the contributions and achievements of all women, while continuing to recognize their struggle for equality. People of all genders are impacted by domestic and gender-based violence (DV/GBV) and deserve assistance, however, women are overwhelmingly and disproportionately affected by these issues. Women's history is in many ways a story of resilience despite such violence, and it is a diverse story that is shared through every culture across the world. ENDGBV is proud to support women survivors living and working in NYC, as well as our women staff whose experiences help shape our care.

WHAT’S NEW

Women Forward NYC

On January 24, 2024 during the State of the City Address, Mayor Adams unveiled his initiative to improve economic opportunity, safety, and healthcare for women in New York City. Women Forward NYC is designed to be a holistic approach to prevalent issues for all women. By uniting the efforts of City Agencies and Offices as well as partnering with academic and private institutions, the project will address a wide variety of inequities with a combination of city funding, federal grants and private dollars. ENDGBV is looking forward to working with our city agency partners to continue providing as many resources as we can to the New Yorkers we serve.

Our Commissioner, Cecile Noel commends the plan and gave remarks in the press release "We cannot meaningfully achieve gender equity as long as women, transgender, and gender expansive New Yorkers continue to experience disproportionate rates of violence in and outside of the home. Recognizing this fact, the Women Forward NYC agenda deepens the city's investment in responses that meet the complex needs of survivors of domestic and gender-based violence, enhancing both interpersonal and public safety. We would like to thank all of our city agency collaborators for developing this initiative and we are grateful for the ongoing support of the Adams administration as we expand ENDGBV's work to support survivors."

ENDGBV and the NYPD pledge to reduce felony domestic violence assaults by 25%, and expand the HOME+ program, providing personal security devices and resources to keep survivors safe in their homes.

Learn more about this program in our Legislative Corner or by visiting women.nyc online.

Citywide Agency Response to Human Trafficking at Gracie Mansion

In recent years, the City has held meetings for City agency and community leaders to identify ways the City could improve its response to trafficking survivors and those involved in the sex trade. More work is needed to identify specific next steps to increase safety for those impacted.

In collaboration with Special Counsel Ama Dwimoh, ENDGBV held a one-day event at Gracie Mansion focused on the City's response to human trafficking. The assembly addressed many aspects of this issue, including the role that law enforcement, service providers, and community members can play in connecting those in need to resources and support, addressing the basic needs of survivors to end the cycle of trafficking, as well as the root causes, while holding traffickers and other harm doers accountable.

OCVS and ENDGBV Consolidation

Beginning in Fiscal Year 2024, ENDGBV and the Office of Crime Victims Services (OCVS) will be consolidating our portfolios of contracted victim service providers, creating a more streamlined process for both the survivors we are servicing as well as the organizations we partner with every day. Centralizing this process will enable ENDGBV to expand services for survivors and broaden its reach while minimizing bureaucratic overlap and ultimately allowing the City to meet survivors' needs more effectively.

Denim Day 2024

Every year for Sexual Violence Awareness Month on the last Wednesday of April, people across the world wear denim and rally to raise awareness about sexual violence. Last year on April 26th, ENDGBV held Denim Day 2023 along with the Denim Day NYC Coalition (a citywide coalition of survivors, advocates, community organizations, city council members, and city agencies working together to raise awareness about sexual assault).

This year will mark the 25th Anniversary of the first Denim Day organized in 1999. This was in response to a decision made by the Italian High Court in 1998 which resulted in the overturning of a rape conviction because the victim wore tight jeans. The judge concluded that the victim "must have helped her assailant remove her jeans" and therefore gave consent. In response, Italian women began protesting the ruling by wearing jeans at work, in parliament, and doing what they could to speak against this incredible injustice. People around the world shared in the outrage and joined the movement to act and demonstrate their solidarity with survivors in the face of victim blaming and a lack of accountability for those who choose to violate the sexual and bodily autonomy of others. The first Denim Day was organized a year later as an international protest march to support survivors of sexual violence that continues to this day.

In solidarity with victims and survivors, hundreds of supporters from over 20 city agencies and community organizations in New York City participate in citywide events, and scores of New Yorkers take to the streets on Denim Day for rallies and marches, including the annual Denim Day NYC March from Brooklyn Borough Hall over the Brooklyn Bridge to NYC's Foley Square.

Policy and Legislation Corner