REDUCING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

The Spitzer-Paterson Administration is committed to fundamentally changing the way New York State prevents and responds to domestic violence. Domestic violence affects hundreds of thousands of New York families each year, but until now, the state has not led the fight.

There were over 350,000 domestic violence incidents statewide in 2005 with an average of 620 per day in New York City. These numbers are distressing, but sadly, paint only a partial picture.  Too often, domestic violence goes unreported because its victims are reluctant to report their attackers. Not only do we have to protect victims and punish the perpetrators, but we have to send a message to New York’s abused women and children: “You are not at fault, you can start over, and you are not alone.”

Governor Spitzer has asked Lieutenant Governor Paterson to lead an effort to review the treatment of domestic violence at every level of state government. The endgame is simple. New York should be a state where domestic violence victims receive the best possible care and where domestic violence is simply not tolerated.

Our domestic violence policy agenda seeks to:

• Provide more comprehensive legal remedies.   We need to better protect domestic violence victims within both the civil and criminal court systems, increase access to legal services, and broaden the availability of programs and assistance to more immigrant communities.  The Governor recently signed a new law that ensures that Sheriffs' offices cannot charge a fee for the service of Orders of Protection.  Further legislative priorities include expanding the number of domestic violence victims who have access to family court orders of protection, criminalizing interference with phone calls during domestic violence incidents, and prohibiting discrimination towards victims of domestic violence;
• Comprehensively Address the Needs of Victims and Survivors.  In order to build their own future, free from fear and abuse, domestic violence survivors require tools that will help them to move from dependence to self-sufficiency. This includes programs that address their educational, professional, and financial needs, including initiatives by New York State’s Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence.

If you are looking for help from domestic abuse, you can call the New York State Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-942-6906; TTY for the Hearing Impaired: 1-800-818-0656.