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Photo Credit: Erica Sherman/Brooklyn BP’s Office
Borough President Adams hosted dozens of fellow domestic violence advocates and survivors, including Assembly Members Amy Paulin and Jamie Williams,
for a candlelight empowerment rally outside Brooklyn Borough Hall that commemorated the anniversary of the reauthorization of the federal Violence Against
Women Act (VAWA).
SURVIVING and THRIVING
When walking down the streets of
Brooklyn, it may not be apparent that
many people passing by are silent sufferers
of domestic violence. Women and
men, young and old, too many Brooklynites
from every part of the borough
are subjected to cruel acts of abuse
from their husband, wife, boyfriend, girlfriend,
and/or another family member
or guardian. The constant fear of abuse
that victims deal with is only exacerbated
by an all-too-often unwillingness
to report family members to the appropriate
authorities. For those impacted
by domestic violence, the challenge is
turning pain into purpose.
“Oftentimes, people think that the
physical abuse is the only aspect of domestic
violence — when it is not,” said
Borough President Adams. “The physical
scars heal, but the emotional scars
can last a lifetime. It has nothing to do
with you. It has to do with the person
who’s the abuser.”
A disproportionate number of domestic
violence incidents and related
deaths occur in Brooklyn, with higher
rates occurring in communities at or
below the poverty line. In fact, more
than 35 percent of fatalities between
2002 and 2014 (325 out of 914), and 32
percent of reports of domestic violence
in 2015 (10,770 of 33,803) occurred in
Brooklyn. Borough President Adams’
personal experience with domestic
violence, coupled with more than 20
years of policing New York City’s streets,
instilled in him a commitment to advocacy,
awareness, and action, leading to
the launch of Surviving and Thriving in
October of 2015.
This initiative, to support families
impacted by domestic violence and to
focus on successfully moving forward
from abuse, is anchored by an annual
Domestic Violence Awareness Month
event that Borough President Adams
hosts at Brooklyn Borough Hall; the
day-long gathering features demonstrations
of self-defense and yoga,
mini-makeovers, pampering sessions,
performances of modern dance and
poetry, as well as panel discussions
with survivors. Additionally, his FREE
Legal Services for All program includes
assistance related to domestic
violence cases, through a partnership
with the Urban Justice Center’s Domestic
Violence Project; appointments
are required and can be made by calling
(718) 802-3777.
To build on existing efforts to combat
domestic violence, Borough President
Adams has proposed a range of Surviving
and Thriving recommendations
that would enact tangible changes in
policy and practice across City and State
services. Locally, he has called for offenders
to have mandated domestic
violence training on anger management
and healthy relationships, as well as for
increased trainings for first responders
and court officers, who regularly
interact with survivors. Additionally, he
has emphasized the need to expand the
information available for survivors to
learn how to renew orders of protection,
to be aware of the criteria for order renewal,
as well as the agencies and organizations
available to assist them.
“Living the life of a survivor means
you pass every day with feelings of fear,
isolation, and uncertainty,” said Borough
President Adams. “I want to make sure
victims of abuse know where to go if
they need help. I want them to know that
we are here and we are listening.”
On the State level, Borough President
Adams has teamed up with Assembly
Members Amy Paulin and Jamie
Williams, both fellow survivors, on
a legislative proposal that would allow
residents of domestic violence shelters
the ability to vote in their current districts,
so those impacted by abuse can
still participate safely in elections. In
addition, he has expressed support for
legislation that would allow domestic
violence survivors to terminate leases
upon written notice to landlords.
Surviving and Thriving has already
made some significant strides. In February,
Borough President Adams hailed
a settlement between the City and the
State to expand the Family Eviction
Prevention Supplement (FEPS) housing
subsidy to include New Yorkers
forced to leave their homes as a result
of domestic violence, an issue he and
advocates had pushed for in previous
budgets. His efforts have also ensured
that City Hall’s Domestic Violence Task
Force has actively engaged the voices
of survivors in a leadership capacity, in
order for this personal perspective to
be amplified; this has included Kathleen
Daniel, his director of outreach.
“Our survivors must be empowered
to be strivers, striving to thrive in society
while bringing hope to so many,” said
Borough President Adams. “I deeply appreciate
the strength of those stepping
out of their personal darkness and living
their lives to the fullest.”
BROOKLYN NEWS