NEW YORK, NY \u2013 May 9, 2024 — Today, survivors and staff from Safe Horizon, the nation\u2019s largest victim services agency serving over 250,000 New Yorkers annually, stand in solidarity to urge Mayor Adams to restore $3M in critical funding to its Crime Victim Assistance Program (CVAP). The PEG, announced in the latest NYC budget for FY25, puts at least 11,000 New Yorkers at risk of losing life-saving support in the aftermath of a crime. This includes survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and gun violence, among others. This budget reduction would also require the elimination of 50 staff positions at Safe Horizon.<\/p>\n
The Safe Horizon Crime Victim Assistance Program (CVAP) has served more than 50,000 New Yorkers in the past year, with over 94% of survivors expressing they felt better and more informed after receiving assistance from the program. Launched in 2016, CVAP places specially-trained advocates in each of the NYPD precincts throughout New York City\u2019s five boroughs \u2013 covering 77 police precincts, 9 Police Service Areas and the Special Victims Division that assists sexual assault survivors. The advocates meet with victims in the precincts, conduct home visits, and participate in informational fairs with officers from the NYPD to help survivors on their healing journey.<\/p>\n
This multidisciplinary approach recognizes the trauma-specific support crime victims require immediately following a crime, including counseling, advocacy, financial compensation and shelter.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis $3M reduction in funding to our Crime Victim Assistance Program (CVAP) sends the message that survivors are not a priority when it comes to public safety. By providing timely, trauma-informed support to crime victims, Safe Horizon advocates help survivors access safety and healing across every neighborhood in New York City. Mayor Adams, we cannot leave 11,000 New Yorkers to navigate the aftermath of crime without the support of an advocate\u201d said Liz Roberts, CEO.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe support services provided by Safe Horizon play a critical role for New Yorkers. It\u2019s crucial that we fully fund the Crime Victims Assistance Program in order to have a FY25 budget that accurately reflects our values and priorities,\u201d said Councilmember Keith Powers.<\/p>\n
\u201cOf the 11,000 victims of domestic violence who will be made less safe by this 3 million dollar PEG from the Administration, over 3,000 of those victims received services at precincts within the 42nd Council District. Our District has been neglected for many years at many levels and as a community that has lacked services, it is unconscionable that this Administration would choose to continue making cuts to programs that service some of the City\u2019s most vulnerable residents who have often already been victimized in other ways. This PEG is extremely harmful and the Administration must fully restore the entirety of this PEG as soon as possible,\u201d said Councilmember Chris Banks.<\/p>\n
About Safe Horizon<\/strong><\/p>\n Established in 1978, Safe Horizon is the largest non-profit victim services agency in the United States. It touches the lives of more than 250,000 children, adults, and families affected by crime and abuse throughout New York City each year. Safe Horizon envisions a society free of family and community violence, leading the way by empowering victims of domestic violence, child abuse, sexual assault, and human trafficking to move from crisis to confidence. Safe Horizon\u2019s mission is to provide support, prevent violence and promote justice for victims of crime and abuse, their families, and communities. For more please visit\u202fwww.safehorizon.org.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n ###<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Survivors and Safe Horizon staff stand in solidarity to urge Mayor Adams to restore $3M in critical funding to our Crime Victim Assistance Program (CVAP).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":{"id":9685,"alt_text":"Support children and families in domestic violence shelters","caption":"Peggy Duffy Memorial fund","description":"Support children and families in domestic violence shelters","media_type":"image","media_details":{"width":512,"height":512,"file":"2022\/07\/Safe-Horizon-Flower-Logo_TransparentThumbnail.png","filesize":31715,"sizes":{"medium":{"file":"Safe-Horizon-Flower-Logo_TransparentThumbnail-300x300.png","width":300,"height":300,"mime-type":"image\/png","filesize":18595,"source_url":"https:\/\/www.safehorizon.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Safe-Horizon-Flower-Logo_TransparentThumbnail-300x300.png"},"thumbnail":{"file":"Safe-Horizon-Flower-Logo_TransparentThumbnail-150x150.png","width":150,"height":150,"mime-type":"image\/png","filesize":8008,"source_url":"https:\/\/www.safehorizon.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Safe-Horizon-Flower-Logo_TransparentThumbnail-150x150.png"}},"image_meta":{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0","keywords":[]}},"post":9684,"source_url":"https:\/\/www.safehorizon.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Safe-Horizon-Flower-Logo_TransparentThumbnail.png"},"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2013],"tags":[356,314],"class_list":["post-10693","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-statements-and-press-releases","tag-crime-victim-assistance-program","tag-cvap","issue-child-abuse","issue-children-who-witness-violence","issue-domestic-violence","issue-gender-based-violence","issue-gun-violence","issue-human-trafficking","issue-immigration","issue-loegislative-budget-advocacy","issue-policy-research","issue-rape-and-sexual-assault","issue-stalking","issue-victims-of-other-abuse","issue-homeless-youth"],"acf":{"page_header_title":"Safe Horizon + Survivors Urge Mayor Adams to Restore $3M in Funding to Help Crime Victims Access Life-Saving Support Resources and Improve Public Safety ","title_font_size":"42","page_header_excerpt":"11,000 New Yorkers at risk of losing critical trauma recovery services ","sub-headline_placement":false,"page_header_image":"https:\/\/www.safehorizon.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/silhouette_hero_image.png","custom_scripts":false,"show_author_bio":false,"original_url":"","related_initiative_title":"","related_initiative_link":"","related_initiative_link_text":"","featured_posts":""},"yoast_head":"\n