COVID 19 Resources: FAMILY AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE RESOURCES
Know Your Rights – Family and Domestic Violence Resources
What can you do if you are in danger in your home and/or with your domestic partner as a result of the COVID-19 crisis?
For emergencies, please call 911.
The following are general safety tips for victims of domestic violence (as recommended by the Urban Resource Institute):
Create a safety plan.
Limit any known triggers of abuse, such as social media usage, alcohol or whatever is specific to your situation
If altercations escalate, move away from the kitchen, where items that can be used as weapons are most often found.
Identify and communicate a safe place in the home for children to go if an altercation occurs.
If you have a safe and secret spot, keep a to-go bag with some clothes, written phone numbers of safe contacts, some cash and any ID or documentation.
Keep your phone charged and available.
Stay connected with friends and family.
Schedule regular phone calls or video chats with friends and family to establish normalized and frequent points of external contact.
Coordinate times to communicate when the perpetrator will be away, if possible, or when you might be out of the house, such as walking a dog.
Beware of digital stalking. Perpetrators may gain access to social media, GPS and emails, so be sure to develop and identify code words for use with family and friends. This can be used for daily safety check-ins, including a code for others to call 911 on your behalf.
Practice self-care.
Take all precautions recommended by health experts and officials to maintain personal health experts and officials to maintain personal health and wellbeing. Being sick can increase household stress and limit mobility if leaving is necessary.
Encourage all members of the family to participate in self-care activities such as meditation, exercise, reading, music, etc. to reduce overall household stress.
Establish and maintain a routine for children to provide a sense of security.
Get help.
Reach out to any of the resources provided below under "What resources are available to me?" People are available at these resources 24/7 who can work with you to create an individualized safety plan or can work with you if you need to leave the home.
There are also specific measures you can take if you are an LGBTQ-identifies individual. These measures can be found by visiting: https://urinyc.org/program/covid-tips/.
The Urban Resource Institute also provides tips for pet owners at the website above.
If you are experiencing domestic violence and believe your life is in danger as a result of the COVID-19 crisis, there are governmental and non-governmental programs that can help relocate victims of domestic violence and/or provide information, referrals, or counseling.
The following are governmental programs in New York:
New York State has domestic violence programs in each county. These programs include residential and non-residential services.
The residential services include (1) domestic violence shelters and (2) safe homes and safe dwellings.
Non-residential services include (1) telephone hotline assistance, (2) information, (3) referrals, (4) counseling, (5) advocacy, (6) community education, and (7) outreach services.
The NYC Family Justice Centers has a hotline to provide help with (1) planning for your safety; (2) applying for public benefits, shelter, housing, and other support services and programs; (3) mental health and counseling services for you and your children; (4) referrals to job training and education programs; (5) legal help; and (6) connecting to trained law enforcement.
The following are non-governmental programs in New York or available to New York residents:
The National Domestic Violence Hotline is available 24/7 to speak confidentially with anyone in the United States who is experiencing domestic violence, seeking resources or information or questioning unhealthy aspects of their relationship.
The Urban Resource Institute in New York City provides the following domestic violence services, which remain open:
Shelters: If you are escaping an abuser, the Urban Resource Institute provides safe emergency shelters for domestic violence victims, their children and their pets. The Urban Resource Institute also provides transitional shelters to provide survivors with longer-term support while they look for permanent housing.
Counseling: The Urban Resource Institute has counselors and social workers to meet with domestic violence survivors.
Safe Horizons in New York City provides assistance, advocacy and support to victims who have experienced domestic violence, child abuse, sexual assault, and other crimes.
Safe Horizons has Domestic Violence Shelters, which are still open. The shelters' locations are kept confidential for the safety of its residents. These shelters are short-term and have fully-furnished rooms. Safe Horizons' shelter staff provides many supports to its residents, including providing: (1) safety planning, (2) supportive counseling and support groups, (3) help to build life skills, (4) housing assistance, (5) employment assistance, (6) legal consultation, (7) temporary childcare, (8) case management, (9) practical assistance.
In addition, you may contact Safe Horizons for resources, safety planning, and other information at the contact information provided under "What resources are available to me?"
What resources are available to me?
For emergencies, please call 911.
New York State and City Resources
New York State Domestic and Sexual Violence Hotline
You can call the New York State Domestic and Sexual Violence Hotline at 1-800-942-6906. The hotline is accessible in English, Spanish and other languages.
If you are in New York City, you can call the New York City Domestic and Sexual Violence Hotline, which is open 24-hours, at 1-800-621-4673.
The NYC Family Justice Center hotlines are open from Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. You may be asked to leave a message, and someone will get back to you as quickly as possible.
If you are in the Bronx, please call 718-508-1220.
If you are in Brooklyn, please call 718-250-5113.
If you are in Manhattan, please call 212-602-2800.
If you are in Queens, please call 718-575-4545.
If you are in Staten Island, please call 718-697-4300.
If you need assistance on weekends or evenings, please call the New York City Domestic and Sexual Violence Hotline, above.
Non-Governmental Resources
National Domestic Violence Hotline
To contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline, please call: 1-800-799-7233.
If it is not safe for you to make a call, or if you do not feel comfortable doing so, you can also receive direct help by either:
using the National Domestic Violence Hotline's live chat service by clicking "Chat Now" in the upper right hand corner of the following website: https://www.thehotline.org/help/, or
For more information on safety planning tips for domestic violence victims, including LGBTQ identified individuals, children and pets, please visit: https://urinyc.org/program/covid-tips/.
Safe Horizons
Safe Horizons can be contacted in the following ways, 24/7:
To contact Safe Horizons' Domestic Violence Hotline and for more information about Safe Horizons' Domestic Violence Shelters, please call: 1-800-621-4673.
To contact Safe Horizons' Rape and Sexual Assault Hotline, please call: 1-212-227-3000.
If it is not safe for you to call the hotline, or if you do not feel comfortable doing so, you may chat with a Safe Horizons advocate using their online chat at: https://www.safehorizon.org/safechat/.
For updates on how to contact Safe Horizons' other programs, and general COVID-19 updates related to their services, please visit: https://www.safehorizon.org/emergency/.
Please read: The information provided on this website does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice. Instead, all information, content, and materials available on this site are for general informational purposes only. Due to the rapidly evolving nature of the COVID-19 crisis, readers are advised to check official government sources for the most up-to-date information on changes in policy and procedure since the information on this website may not constitute the most up-to-date legal or other information. This website contains links to other third-party websites. Such links are only for the convenience of the reader and the contents of any third-party sites are not an endorsement by AABANY or its members.
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