Public Advocate's Corner: Accessing City Services: How to Get Help for a Victim of Domestic Violence

Domestic violence is a continuing problem for many individuals and families in our city. In New York City, police responded to 229,354 domestic violence incidents in 2007 – around over 600 incidents per day – and the NYPD’s Domestic Violence Unit conducted 76,602 home visits.

Since being elected Public Advocate, Betsy Gotbaum has worked hard to protect the rights of domestic violence victims. She has worked to eliminate obstacles and delays in securing orders of protection and housing assistance for domestic violence victims; called on the State Legislature to share domestic violence data with the Administration for Children’s Services; and exposed the city’s failure to address domestic violence among teens.

Get Help Now
If you need to remove yourself or your children from a situation involving domestic violence, call the New York City Domestic Violence Hotline (1-800-621-4673). You can also try the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (1-800-799-7233). If you are in immediate danger, the NYPD will respond to calls for help to make arrests, as well as provide referrals and follow-up visits to victims of violence in a family or household. Note under the expanded NYPD definition, a family or household now includes not only people who are legally married or related by blood, but also persons who currently or previously lived in a family-type relationship (including same sex couples).

Once you have removed yourself from the environment, you can find an emergency shelter by calling the Domestic Violence Hotline. To ensure your safety and comfort, the hotline keeps shelter locations confidential for you -- there are phone options for those who speak Spanish or are hearing impaired. Safe Horizon also provides emergency assistance and relief when you call 1-800-621-HOPE (1-800-621-4673).

If you need medical assistance, be sure to ask the 311 operator to direct you to a hospital with a Domestic Violence Coordinator in your borough.

Next Steps

The New York City Family Justice Center offers a wide variety of services, including counseling, meetings with prosecutors, and instructions on applying for financial and job assistance and housing assistance (note that the Housing Stability Plus information on this website has changed). These services are provided in many languages, and there is a room designated for children to play nearby.

With the help of legal representation, you may also have the option of bringing your case to a court specifically for domestic violence cases, with the same judge hearing your case at all stages of the process. You can find out more about legal options here.

Other organizations that can help you with steps along the way include the following:

· New York State Coalition Against Domestic Violence

· Center Against Domestic Violence (Brooklyn)

· Violence Intervention Program

· Connect Family Violence Program

Remember that in times of need, a phone call or website visit may be all that you need to start getting help. If you or someone you know might need any of these services, don’t hesitate to call New York City Domestic Violence Hotline (1-800-621-4673) or my office (212-669-7200).

The following websites were cited above and include important information regarding domestic violence:

www.ndvh.org

http://www.nyc.gov/html/ocdv/html/services/police.shtml

http://www.nyc.gov/html/dhs/html/atrisk/dv.shtml

http://www.safehorizon.org/

http://www.nyc.gov/html/ocdv/html/services/healthcare.shtml

http://www.nyc.gov/html/ocdv/html/fjc/fjc.shtml

http://www.nyc.gov/html/ocdv/html/services/assistance.shtml

http://www.nyc.gov/html/ocdv/html/services/housing_permanent.shtml

http://www.nyc.gov/html/ocdv/html/services/courts.shtml

http://www.nyscadv.org/

http://www.centeragainstdv.org/