The Borough President has worked with countless constituents who are victims of domestic violence, often people who are fleeing abusive homes.  His office assists them in seeking housing, social services, and referrals to other agencies and community organizations. 

Some of the activities the Borough President has pursued to help victims of domestic violence are:

• Partnering with District Attorney Robert Morgenthau’s office, the New York City Police Department, Harlem Legal Services, and the advocacy group CONNECT, in administering a $900,000 grant by the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Violence Against Women to encourage intimate partner domestic violence arrests. 
• A domestic violence legislative breakfast to promote two important State bills. The Fair Access law will make it possible for every victim of domestic violence to obtain an order of protection from family court, a right currently denied to New Yorkers unless they are married or have a child in common.  The Safe Harbor Act will end the prosecution of victims forced into the sex trade and provide them with services instead. 
• Convening monthly Domestic Violence Task Force meetings with advocates, attorneys, and domestic violence survivors. 
• Hiring a policy analyst to focus on this issue full-time. 

Sexual harassment and human trafficking are other forms of criminal activity where women and children are most often the victims.  These are crimes that the Borough President is also working to eliminate.

• In 2007 he released Hidden in Plain Sight: Sexual Harassment and Assault in the New York City Subway System—showing that a high number of respondents to an online survey had experienced sexual harassment or assault in the New York City subway system, or had witnessed it and, overwhelmingly, had never reported these crimes.
• Also in 2007 the Borough President used his seat on the New York State Anti-Human Trafficking Coalition’s Advisory Board to successfully join with social activists and concerned citizens to lobby Governor Spitzer to sign legislation providing services to trafficking victims, assisting the police in arresting the perpetrators of these crimes, and increasing criminal penalties to the people who traffic people into our country. 

Ongoing Issues of Concern

Anti-Human Trafficking

Human trafficking is a global problem—and a shameful multimillion dollar part of New York City’s economy.  Thousands of women and children are brought to United States, in particular to New York City, to be raped or forced to work in the sex trade.  Until recently, New York State did not have a strong anti-human trafficking criminal statute that would allow prosecutors to pursue the pimps, johns, child molesters and rapists who prey on trafficked children and adults, or to pursue the traffickers who profit from this slave trade.  In June 2007, Governor Spitzer signed legislation to provide services to trafficking victims, assist the police in arrests, and increase criminal penalties for people who traffic people into our City and State.  Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer is proud to have contributed to helping pass this model legislation and hopes other states will follow suit. Now the challenge in New York City is to see the resources made available so that the law can be enforced to its full extent.

Domestic Violence and Housing

Permanent affordable housing is one of the main obstacles to a domestic violence survivor successfully leaving her or his abuser. Borough President Stringer continues to raise the need for housing for domestic violence survivors with the City Council and other City agencies to ensure that New York City keeps domestic violence survivors’ needs at the forefront of housing policy goals.

Fair Access to Family Court

Unlike other states, New York has limited access to civil protection orders for victims of domestic violence.  Borough President Stringer advocates expansion of the family code to allow all victims to seek protective orders in family court, including people in dating relationships, same sex relationships, those who are not married and have no children in common, and elderly people who are victimized by live-in partners or non-familial caretakers. 

Teen Dating Violence

More and more teens are victims of violence, particularly dating violence.  New York State is not equipped to handle the particularities of minors seeking protective orders.  Further, like adult survivors, teens need other services, including housing and social services.  Teens also often need such services without parental consent.  Borough President Stringer is collaborating with nonprofit organizations and government agencies to see the special needs of this population addressed.