Domestic Violence is a community concern

ELIZABETHTOWN | Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Oct. 1 that this month is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. At the same time, she initiated "Start the Conversation," a multi-media campaign to encourage interaction in the community for prevention and support. Alongside the state Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence (OPDV), Hochul also has unveiled a new New York license plate to commemorate 30 years of domestic violence prevention and outreach services in the state. The tagline on the plate says: "New York State supports survivors." The license plates became available Oct. 5 and can be ordered from the Department of Motor Vehicles website: DMV.ny.gov Revenue from the new plates will support OPDV's work to improve outreach and public awareness. "Our state has come a long way since the days when my mother advocated for the survivors of domestic violence, but there is still much work to be done," the governor said in a news release. "Throughout October, we are reminded of the need to continue evolving our approach to domestic and gender-based violence so that we can best meet the needs of survivors and their families." PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE Earlier this year, OPDV conducted a public opinion poll of 5,000 people statewide to better understand public perception of domestic violence. According to OPDV, the findings suggest that most people are confident in their understanding of domestic and gender-based violence. But, while many know someone who was abused or in a controlling relationship, they also believed these issues to result from outside factors — drug or alcohol use, poor impulse control, or anger problems — rather than the decisions of an abusive partner. New York State Office of Children and Family Services Commissioner Sheila J. Poole said there are often children who are also affected. The widening conversation will look to support families, especially children who live with a family impacted by domestic violence. "We must continue to do all we can to protect and provide services to both the survivors of domestic violence and their children. I commend Gov. Hochul for launching the 'Start the Conversation' campaign to help inform all New Yorkers of how they can reach out to survivors and offer help and support," Poole said. CRIMINAL CASES Victims are not always women, and violence in a home affects other family members. The state Division of Criminal Justice reports data on criminal complaints related to domestic violence incidents by county. In Essex County last year (2021), there were 66 criminal allegations reported to police and the sheriff's department. Of the total reported, 46 were female victims, six were male victims, and 14 victims were other family members. In Clinton County last year, there were 188 criminal allegations reported to police. Of the total reported, 71 were female victims, 17 were male victims, and 50 were other family members. In Warren County last year, there were 168 criminal allegations reported to police. Of the total, 88 were female victims, 16 were male, and 64 were other family members. UNMET NEEDS In testimony before state lawmakers last year, the New York State Coalition Against Domestic Violence reported that New York State has the highest demand for domestic violence services in the country and the highest number of unmet requests for services in the country. Their data report that on one day alone in New York in 2020, 8,313 victims of domestic violence received services. More than 4,000 victims found refuge in emergency shelters or transitional housing. Another 4,000 adults and children received non-residential assistance and services, including counseling, legal advocacy and support groups. But, on that same day, 1,921 requests for domestic violence services went unmet in New York because of critical funding and staffing shortages at local domestic violence agencies. The number was more than double the unmet requests reported on one day in 2019. According to data from the governor's office, more than 165,000 domestic violence orders of protection were issued in New York State in 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated domestic violence problems, with calls to the New York State hotline increasing by nearly 45 percent from the onset of the public health crisis. In addition to outreach with information about resources, Hochul's added funding in the 2023 budget, allocating nearly $90 million for domestic violence and sexual assault prevention programs and aid for survivors and their families. The governor also allocated $14.4 million to the Office of Victim Services to support victim service providers and allow the programs they offer to continue operating without interruption despite significant loss in federal Victims of Crime Act funding. FREE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HOTLINE New York State's Domestic and Sexual Violence Hotline provides free, confidential support 24/7 and is available in most languages: 800-942-6906 (call) 844-997-2121 (text) @opdv.ny.gov (chat) The Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence also has a Facebook page with information about their work.

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Domestic Violence is a community concern

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