SCHUMER, GILLIBRAND ANNOUNCE $1.8 MILLION IN FEDERAL FUNDING FOR DOMESTIC ABUSE SUPPORT PROGRAMS IN NYC
Department of Justice Funds Awarded to NYC Gay & Lesbian Anti-Violence Project, NY Legal Assistance Group & Shalom Task Force
Funding Will Provide Resources to Victims of Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, Dating Violence & Stalking; Awardees Provide Services to LGBTQ Victims, Latina & Asian Immigrant Victims, Chassidic & Orthodox Jewish Victims
U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand today announced $1.8 million in federal Department of Justice (DOJ) funding for domestic abuse support programs in New York City. The funding was allocated through the DOJ’s Office on Violence Against Women and is authorized through the Legal Assistance for Victims Grant Program. Specifically, the NYC Gay and Lesbian Anti-Violence Project, Incorporated will receive $600,000 in federal funding to provide quality representation to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence and stalking in New York City. In addition, the New York Legal Assistance group will receive $600,000 to provide quality representation for Latina and Asian immigrant victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking in New York City. Lastly, the Shalom Task Force, Incorporated will receive $600,000 to provide quality representation to Chassidic and Orthodox Jewish victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence and stalking in New York City.
“Domestic and dating violence is never acceptable and we must do all we can to both prevent it in the first place, and to take care of those who are victimized by it. Fortunately, there are organizations like the NYC Gay and Lesbian Anti-Violence Project, NY Legal Assistance Group and the Shalom Task Force dedicated to providing legal help so we can help stop these terrible attacks, said Senator Schumer. “I will continue doing everything I can to ensure organizations like these have the resources they need to combat these horrible crimes.”
“This critical federal funding through the Department of Justice will help facilitate a wide range of programs to better assist domestic violence survivors,” said Senator Gillibrand. “Domestic violence is a serious problem and we need to work towards creating a safe environment for individuals and families. By increasing accessibility to legal services for survivors we can help provide the support and resources they need to be protected and put their lives back together.”
The New York City Gay and Lesbian Anti-Violence project will use the award to provide victim advocacy and comprehensive holistic legal services to LGBTQ victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking and/or domestic violence through direct representation in family law matters such as divorce, child custody and/or child support, immigration, administrative agency, and housing matters; as well as other similar legal matters arising as a consequence of the abuse or the violence. The organization will also implement and/or enhance project activities that protect victim safety, confidentiality, and autonomy and increase offender accountability. The funding will also help support one staff attorney and one legal assistance who will provide direct legal assistance to clients. Lastly, the award will help conduct outreach to the Family Court LGBTQ Advisory Committee, Family Justice Centers and NY Police Department to inform the members and staff of the social and legal services available for LGBTQ victims of domestic and sexual violence.
The New York Legal Assistance Group will use this award to provide quality representation for Latina and Asian immigrant victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence and stalking in New York City. The organization will implement the grant in partnership with: the New York Asian Women’s Center, Sakhi for South Asian Women and the Violence Intervention Program. With this award, the New York Legal Assistance Group and its project partners will provide victim advocacy and comprehensive holistic legal services to Latina and Asian immigrant victims of domestic violence, sexual assault , stalking and/or dating violence through direct representation in family law matters such as divorce, child custody and/or child support; immigration; administrative agency; and housing matters. The funds will be used to implement and/or enhance project activities that protect victim safety, confidentiality and autonomy and increase offender accountability. The funds will also support attorneys fluent in Urdu, Spanish and Mandarin and Cantonese who will provide direct civil legal assistance to clients. In addition, the grant will help conduct outreach events in Latina and Sinhalese immigrant communities in the Bronx and Staten Island that will inform residents of the legal and social services available for victims of sexual assault and intimate partner violence and provide cross-training among the partnering agencies on cultural competency, serving sexual assault victims and identifying legal issues.
The Shalom Task Force will provide quality representation to Chassidic and Orthodox Jewish victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence and stalking in New York City. Shalom Task Force will implement the grant in partnership with South Brooklyn Legal Services. The organization will use the funds to provide victim advocacy and comprehensive holistic legal services to victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking and/or dating violence through direct representation in family law matters such as divorce, child custody and/or child support, immigration, administrative agency and housing matters as well as and other similar legal matters arising as a consequence of the abuse or violence. The funds will also help implement and/or enhance project activates that protect victim safety, confidentiality and autonomy and increase offender accountability. The funds will support two attorneys who will provide direct legal assistance to clients and support one victim advocate/paralegal who will accompany clients to court, assist clients with obtaining social and support services and provide legal support for the attorneys.
The goal of the grant programs through the Office on Violence Against Women is to create sustainable change within and between organizations that results in accessible, safe and effective services for individuals who are victims of sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking and accountability for perpetrators of such crimes. The Legal Assistance for Victims Grant Program is designed to strengthen civil and criminal legal assistance programs for adult and youth victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking who are seeking relief in legal matters arising as a consequence of that abuse or violence.
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