Bronx, NY- Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson joined the Bronx District Attorney`s Office, elected officials, Domestic Violence survivors, and advocates to announce being awarded a $1 Million grant from the Department of Justice’s Office of Violence Against Women to improve criminal justice responses to domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking in the Bronx. The press conference held during Domestic Violence Awareness Month was also to officially relaunch the Domestic Violence Advisory Council to combat the high DV and intimate partner homicides in the Bronx.
According to the NYPD`s Domestic Violence Report released in 2021, from 2015 to 2020, 8 out of the top 15 Community Boards with the highest rates of intimate partner homicides citywide were from the Bronx. Bronx Community Boards 3 and 6 combined caused concern with data showing 17 intimate partner homicides in neighborhoods that include Claremont, Crotona Park, Melrose, Morrisania, Bathgate, and Belmont.
“Whether by calling 311 for resources or 911 in the event of an emergency, professionals and trained personnel are available to provide confidential relocation services and other resources to help survivors of domestic violence so they can live their lives free of abuse,” said Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson. “I want to thank Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark, my Domestic Violence Advisory Council, the DiVa Talk Leadership Team, advocates, as well as survivors for joining us in the fight to end domestic and gender-based violence in our borough. And now, with the $1 million grant from the Department of Justice`s Office of Violence Against Women, we have additional resources to help combat this epidemic that has claimed the lives of too many New Yorkers.
The Domestic Violence Advisory Council is comprised of a broad community of stakeholders that include:
- Community and faith-based organizations,
- Advocacy and survivor groups,
- NYC social services,
- Law enforcement,
- First responders,
- Healthcare providers and
- Agencies affiliated with the Bronx DA`s office
This advisory council has traditionally served to inform the policy work of the Bronx Borough President’s office and to apprise the Borough President of community needs and of service providers that support survivors with legal services and safe haven shelters. The Borough President has also worked historically with these organizations to advocate for laws and protections for victims of intimate partner violence, seniors, children, and other vulnerable populations.
“We are thankful that Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson’s office partnered with us to secure this grant which will continue to support our efforts to stop domestic violence, including enhanced investigations of cyber-stalking and other online crimes, and more funds to improve response to strangulation victims,” said Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark.
The $1 million grant funded by the Department of Justice over three years is for the “Bronx Intimate Partner High-Risk Homicide Reduction Project,” which seeks to enhance identification, service interventions, and offender accountability in instances of intimate partner domestic or sexual violence. The proposed project represents a formalized collaboration among the Bronx Borough President’s Office (BP), the Bronx District Attorney’s Office (BXDA), the New York City Department of Probation (DOP), the New York City Police Department (NYPD), a non-profit provider of both legal and non-legal services (Safe Horizon), and the New York Legal Assistance Group (NYLAG), a non-profit population-specific organization specializing in underserved populations.