Governor Hochul Announces Record-Level, $35 Million in State Funding to Improve the Public Safety Response to Intimate Partner Abuse and Domestic Violence, and Better Address[...]

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced a record-level, $35 million state investment to improve the public safety response to intimate partner abuse and domestic violence, and better address the needs of victims and survivors. The five New York City District Attorneys' Offices will share $5 million while law enforcement and services providers in 20 counties outside of the five boroughs will share $23 million to implement evidence-based strategies to enhance the safety of survivors and hold individuals who harm accountable for their actions. The State Division of Criminal Justice Services is working with the State Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence to ensure coordinated community responses and that interventions are rooted in survivor-centered, trauma-informed, and culturally responsive practices. Up to $7 million will allow the State to provide training and technical assistance, risk assessment tools, and investigative support to participating agencies and improve the domestic violence reduction efforts of state agencies.

"Safety doesn't stop at the threshold of your home, and my number one priority is the safety of all New Yorkers," Governor Hochul said. "That's why I'm funding law enforcement responses to domestic violence of the highest possible caliber, using the most effective and innovative interventions to stop abusive partners in their tracks and save lives. Everyone deserves to be safe at home, free from violence and abuse."

This landmark investment is part of the $40 million secured by Governor Hochul in the FY25 Budget. This spring, the Governor announced the Survivors Access Financial Empowerment Fund: $5 million to 65 programs across the state to directly serve survivors and victims, supporting education and employment to secure employment; legal assistance; transportation; childcare and other emergent needs. The $35 million announced today includes the following awards to each region:

Governor Hochul announced the landmark state investment in New York City this afternoon, joined by Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz, Westchester County District Attorney Miriam E. Rocah, service providers and advocates, and survivors of intimate partner and domestic violence. The Governor also issued a proclamation marking October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month in New York State.

Queens District Attorney Katz said, "The Proact-DV program not only holds abusers accountable but also is a concerted effort to stop the violence. This three-prong approach involves prosecuting those who commit the crime of domestic violence, coordinating law enforcement on all levels and most importantly, making sure that those families affected are safe and have needed services. Thank you to Governor Hochul for allocating funding so that all New York City district attorneys' offices can implement this successful strategy."

Westchester County District Attorney Rocah said, "The $1.4 million in new state funding for Westchester County is a historic investment that will significantly support the ongoing work of the DA's Office in seeking justice for survivors while expanding resources to provide services for victims."

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said, "Domestic and intimate partner violence can quickly turn fatal and early intervention is key. Domestic violence remains one of our city's top public health crises, and I am grateful for Governor Hochul's key investment in these efforts to center survivors and prosecute these cases both in New York City and across the State."

Staten Island District Attorney Michael E. McMahon said, "A silent driver of crime, domestic violence fuels not only the majority of felony assaults on Staten Island but a whole host of other serious crimes as well. Worse yet, the devastating effects of intimate partner violence are often far-reaching and not limited to the singular victim or the time and place of the initial incident. The survivors of these incidents deserve dignity, compassion, and most importantly, justice. Now, thanks to an unprecedented level of funding secured in this year's State Budget, District Attorney's Offices from across New York have been given the resources necessary to form and expand dedicated domestic violence units. While the men and women of my office and our Domestic Violence Bureau will continue to fight tooth and nail for survivors of intimate partner abuse, this multi-million-dollar windfall will undoubtedly enhance my office's ability to hold domestic abusers accountable in the courtroom and secure justice for those who have been victimized. I commend Governor Hochul for her efforts to include this critical funding into this year's State Budget and thank her for prioritizing the rights, voices and experiences of crime victims and their families from across New York State."

Domestic Violence Advocate Vanessa Petrossian said, "For 8 years I've been publicly sharing my story to raise awareness, educate and offer support to victims and survivors - and because I made two promises to myself in 2016. One: if I could get through the court process keeping my son and I safe - I would never let anyone disrupt our peace, and two: I would never stop advocating for the many victims still living in the shadows of abuse. The Governor's invitation asking me to speak today is just another example of the power the voice of a survivor has, and how much good can be done when our government is one that acts on the public's needs. Governor Hochul's commitment of almost $50 million in funding today, her willingness last year to share her grandmother's story as a victim and survivor and her compassion, which I have witnessed, towards those who have experienced intimate partner violence, has and will continue to save many lives."

Governor Hochul also directed 15 state landmarks to be illuminated purple tonight in honor of Domestic Violence Awareness Month:

• One World Trade Center
• Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge
• Kosciuszko Bridge
• The H. Carl McCall SUNY Building
• State Education Building
• Alfred E. Smith State Office Building
• Empire State Plaza
• State Fairgrounds - Main Gate & Expo Center
• Niagara Falls
• The Franklin D. Roosevelt Mid-Hudson Bridge
• Albany International Airport Gateway
• MTA LIRR - East End Gateway at Penn Station
• Fairport Lift Bridge over the Erie Canal
• Moynihan Train Hall
• Walkway Over the Hudson State Historic Park

Using funding secured by Governor Hochul in the FY 2025 Budget, the Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) will administer $23 million in funding to district attorneys, sheriffs' offices, municipal police departments, probation departments and community-based providers that serve victims and survivors of domestic violence in 20 counties to implement the Statewide Targeted Reductions in Intimate Partner Violence initiative (STRIVE). The following counties participating in the initiative reported the largest volume and rate of domestic and intimate partner violence: Albany, Broome, Cayuga, Chautauqua, Cortland, Dutchess, Erie, Fulton, Genesee, Jefferson, Monroe, Nassau, Niagara, Oneida, Onondaga, Orange, Rensselaer, Schenectady, Suffolk, and Westchester counties.

DCJS will distribute $5 million to district attorneys' offices in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan and Staten Island to allow for the implementation of early case enhancement strategies, including the Queens District Attorney's Proact-DV program to the other four boroughs. The program focuses on the importance of collecting evidence, improving collaboration between police and prosecutors, and connecting survivors with support and services as quickly as possible after a crime has been reported, regardless of whether an arrest has been made. This coordinated, early intervention aims to increase victim safety, strengthen the prosecution of domestic violence cases, and ensure offender accountability.

STRIVE is modeled after the State's Gun Involved Violence Elimination (GIVE) initiative, also administered by DCJS, which requires partners in each county to develop a comprehensive plan using one or more evidence-based strategies to reduce shootings and save lives. Plans developed by counties participating in STRIVE must use evidence-based strategies and ensure that community members and programs that serve victims and survivors are actively involved in strategy selection and implementation. One or more of the following strategies must be used: domestic violence high-risk team model, lethality assessment program, or intimate partner violence intervention.

Division of Criminal Justice Services Commissioner Rossana Rosado said, "New York has made significant progress in the fight against gun violence, thanks to Governor Hochul's commitment to providing our local law enforcement and community-based partners significant funding and support, and securing significant investments for technology and personnel so crime data, information and intelligence can be shared statewide. STRIVE will use the same framework to reduce intimate partner and domestic violence and improve safety for victims and survivors."

Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence Executive Director Kelli Owens said, "This is a significant amount of money that will bring a coordinated response to domestic violence to local communities throughout New York State. New York recognizes that all the systems a survivor encounters in their journey to find safety must be aligned and knowledgeable about the dynamic of this type of violence. Thank you, Governor Hochul, for your continued leadership to break down barriers for survivors in a way that honors New York's commitment to survivor-centered, trauma-informed and culturally responsive efforts."

Office of Victim Services Director Bea Hanson said, "I have dedicated my career to improving how different systems - legal, social services, health care, among others - respond to gender-based and intimate partner violence, and to expanding access to support and services so victims and survivors can reclaim their lives. I thank Governor Hochul for her commitment to victims' rights and our State and local partners for their work, which will make a difference in the lives of so many New Yorkers."

Counties participating in STRIVE also will receive training and technical assistance from the State and national experts to implement their county plans and chosen strategy or strategies; and access crime analysis, intelligence development and investigative support from the State's network of 11 Crime Analysis Centers to identify perpetrators and build effective cases for prosecution. DCJS will receive up to $7 million for that work and the funding will also support efforts to improve the ways in which state agencies respond to intimate partner and domestic violence, including:

• A multiagency review led by DCJS, in coordination with OPDV, to modernize the State's current, paper-based Domestic Incident Report (DIR), and State DIR repository for law enforcement. Police officers are required to complete this report whenever they respond to a domestic call, regardless of whether an arrest is made.
• A summit sponsored by DCJS and OPDV later this month to educate law enforcement, attorneys, social services staff, gender-based violence services providers and other local and state professionals about tools to assess danger in intimate partner and domestic violence cases. OPDV also works with DCJS and other state agencies to inform local practices through its Domestic Violence Regional Councils, Fatality Reviews and Survivor Listening Sessions.

Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins said, "As we mark Domestic Violence Awareness month, I am proud to join Governor Kathy Hochul's announcement of this landmark $35 million in funding to bolster domestic violence and intimate partner violence prevention programming across New York. This investment will help our community based local partners statewide as well as our justice system to continue improving access to trauma informed and culturally sensitive services for survivors. We must continue to prioritize initiatives that protect victims of domestic violence. This investment reflects our collective commitment to creating new safety and support systems for survivors."

Speaker Carl Heastie said, "My colleagues and I are committed to investing in our community response teams so they can provide effective, trauma-informed care to victims of domestic violence. This funding will ensure our state partners have the resources needed to support survivors and hold those responsible for the violence accountable for their actions. It is imperative that we do all we can to reduce domestic violence across New York and work towards a better future for survivors."

State Senator Jessica Scarcella-Spanton said, "Domestic violence is a pervasive issue and survivors need and deserve the support systems and resources to not only recover from abuse, but find safety and thrive. I am proud to work with Governor Hochul to secure this historic funding to safeguard survivors and provide law enforcement with the tools they need to address this across New York State."

Assemblymember Aileen Gunther said, "No one should have to live in fear of domestic violence, and protecting women from abuse is one of my top priorities. This action by the Governor will improve education, prevention and support for survivors of domestic violence. This funding will help create a more holistic and community-centered approach to combating domestic violence, as well as holding abusers accountable. I applaud the Governor for making these funds available and I look forward to seeing their positive impacts on our community."

Assemblymember Andrew Hevesi said, "I am deeply grateful for the leadership of Governor Hochul, Speaker Heastie, Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins, Assembly Social Services Chair Davila and all of my colleagues for securing these essential resources to assist survivors of domestic violence. This urgent and meaningful investment will make a real, and immediate difference by strengthening District Attorneys' abilities to hold perpetrators accountable, and provide sustained, trauma-informed, and culturally competent care that survivors need at their most critical junctures."

Assemblymember Taylor Darling said, "As Chair of the Subcommittee on Foster Care, I recognize that domestic violence devastates families, particularly affecting foster youth, who often bear the brunt of this trauma. Many children in New York's foster care system have been removed from unsafe homes where domestic violence, untreated trauma and other risk factors were present, leaving deep scars that impact their development and future. These children, the silent victims, carry the emotional and physical toll long after they have entered foster care. Governor Hochul's $35 million investment to enhance the public safety response to domestic violence is a critical lifeline for these children. With trauma-informed, culturally responsive strategies, this initiative will provide the support foster youth need to heal, while holding offenders accountable and reducing the cycle of violence. I commend the Governor for prioritizing this issue and bringing hope to so many families and children in need. Together, we can create a safer future for all our youth."

Assemblymember Karen McMahon said, "Domestic violence is a serious, often hidden and growing epidemic in our State and across the country. Nearly 20 people are physically abused by an intimate partner every minute in the United States - over 10 million people each year. As the Chair of the Assembly Task Force on Women's Issues, I am encouraged by this significant investment in improving the public safety response to domestic violence, and supporting survivors. We must continue to protect and assist those who have experienced domestic violence, and work to reduce its occurrence throughout NYS. This funding will go a long way towards that effort."

Councilmember Farah N. Louis said, "Governor Hochul's commitment to addressing intimate partner abuse and domestic violence through this record $35.6 million investment is a significant step forward in ensuring the safety of survivors across New York State. By prioritizing survivor-centered, trauma-informed and culturally responsive practices, we are reinforcing our dedication to protecting the most vulnerable members of our communities. This funding will enable district attorneys, law enforcement and service providers to collaborate and hold individuals who harm accountable, while supporting survivors as they heal. I will continue fighting for more funding and resources for our city to ensure that every survivor has access to the services they need for a safe and stable future."

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) or @opdv.ny.gov (chat). OVS Resource Connect also allows individuals to find state-funded victim assistance programs in their community by their specific need or concern.

The Division of Criminal Justice Services provides critical support to all facets of the State's criminal justice system, including, but not limited to: training law enforcement and other criminal justice professionals; analyzing statewide crime and program data; providing research support; and managing criminal justice grant funding. Follow DCJS on Facebook, Instagram and X.

The Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence is the country's only executive level state agency dedicated to the issue of gender-based violence. The agency's work is informed by survivors and service providers in the field and aims to encourage localities to work together cross-systems, recognize the seriousness of the issue, and respond in accordance with its three pillars: survivor-centered, trauma-informed, and culturally responsive. OPDV accomplishes this by learning directly from survivors and service providers in the field. Follow OPDV on Facebook, Instagram and X.

Contact the Governor's Press Office