NYSCADV August Newsletter: Newly Passed Bills, Financial Empowerment Resources, and More!

August 2020

News & Updates

Volume 18 | Issue 8

ONE-WEEK LEGISLATIVE SESSION ADVANCES MANY IMPORTANT BILLS; NOW REQUIRE GOVERNOR'S APPROVAL TO BECOME LAW

The COVID-19 Pandemic resulted in the abrupt cancellation of approx. eight weeks of legislative session in April and May, a time when hundreds of bills are typically voted upon by the state Assembly and state Senate. However, legislators returned to Albany – either in person or virtually – during the week of July 20 ^th to consider hundreds of bills in committee and in chamber. Those that received the approval of both the Senate and Assembly will now be sent to the Governor for his approval or veto.

Most notably, these bills were approved by both chambers and will become law if signed by Governor Cuomo:

A2176A/S425A which ensures all members of the community will have access to the justice system and courts without fear of immigration-related consequences. The bill ostensibly prevents officials from the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement from making arrests at courthouses.

A10039/S7926 which prohibits a party to an order of protection from remotely controlling any connected devices affecting the home, vehicle or property of the person protected by the order.

A9036/S7082 which extends by one year the time an individual may file an otherwise time-barred civil claim revived by the Child Victims Act.

A5605C/S5959 which establishes the right of publicity and provides for a private right of action for unlawful dissemination or publication of a sexually explicit depiction of an individual.

A10673/S8247 which authorizes the use of SNAP benefits to purchase online groceries.

A6679/S5696 which requires the Public Service Commission to study the availability, affordability and reliability of high-speed Internet and broadband access in NY and work with Internet service providers to prioritize access in communities that have experienced negative economic and social impacts due to absent or insufficient service.

A6710/S724 which requires the Department of Corrections and Community Services (DOCCS) to place incarcerated parents at the facility closest to their children’s home.

A01628/S8598 which designates June 19^th, known as “Juneteenth”, as a public holiday.

A10831/S6658B which designates the second Monday in July each year as Abolition Commemoration Day, commemorating the date in 1817 when the NYS Legislature passed the Abolition Act effectively ending slavery in NY.

Check out our 2020 legislative summary which includes all domestic violence-related legislation that has been signed into law, passed both chambers, or passed either the Assembly or Senate.

PREVENTION CORNER

NYSCADV Prevention Educator Learning Exchange

Domestic violence and sexual assault programs throughout New York have displayed a strong commitment to the prevention of intimate partner and sexual violence. COVID-19 has required that providers not only rethink and innovate around how we will serve survivors and their children, but also to consider virtual methods for engaging the community in primary prevention and social change strategies. At the request of programs, NYSCADV will be convening a peer learning exchange for primary prevention educators and advocates to discuss the ways that programs are pivoting to engage youth in both school based and non-school-based settings as well as community members in workplaces and allies, partners and stakeholders in our networks. While several school districts are still developing their plans for the upcoming school year, we know that many college campuses have already communicated a “distance learning model” for their incoming and returning students. How does this impact the way we typically engage these populations? This learning exchange will be held on Wednesday, August 26th, from 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM and will be an open call to provide prevention educators an opportunity to discuss, with each other and NYSCADV staff, the issues you are currently facing, strategies you are using to continue doing wok that seeks to stop violence before it starts and an opportunity to strategize solutions together.

Feel free to provide topics for discussion in advance of the meeting. We will also do a “check-in” at the beginning of the meeting and provide space for you to share what you feel is most pressing to discuss. Please send any topics in advance by email to me at [email protected] .

Who Should Register:

Registration is open to domestic violence prevention educators and advocates of private, nonprofit, nongovernmental organizations and programs that have a primary purpose of providing shelter and supportive services to adult and youth victims of family violence, domestic violence, or dating violence, and their dependents. This includes programs that are licensed by the NYS Office for Children and Family Services or have local NY Department of Social Services contracts to provide domestic violence services, either residential or nonresidential.

Here’s the registration link for this call: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0vdeCqrDktGt2YCm9bwRrFeh74HZFvrgd7

NYSCADV, NYSCASA and RISE Inc. Team Up with Local Pharmacies to Support DV and Sexual Assault Survivors

Pharmacies and drug stores are one of the few readily-accessible, essential service businesses open during New York’s shelter-in-place restrictions. That’s why NYSCADV, NYSCASA and RISE Inc., collaborated with pharmacists and pharmacy owners to support DV and sexual assault survivors who frequent their businesses.

NYSCADV, NYSCASA and RISE Inc., developed posters, flyers and information cards about available services and resources for victims. These materials have been posted on a private webpage accessible by pharmacy owners, pharmacists and staff. Once copied, they are being displayed throughout the businesses, near entrances, at drive-through windows, in waiting areas or on pharmacy counters. All of the materials include information about available resources, such as the NYS Hotline for Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence and hotlines for COVID-19 testing, mental health support, unemployment, etc.

Pharmacists and pharmacy owners are also encouraged to make contact with the Domestic Violence, sexual assault and victim service providers in their community to enhance their understanding of the local services available. NYSCADV, NYSCASA and RISE Inc., will soon be hosting a webinar with DV and victim service providers to review the pharmacy materials and initiative, and discuss best practices for collaborating and enhancing relationships with community partners such as drug stores and pharmacies. More details to be provided soon!

FreeFrom Releases Survivor Safety Banking Guidelines

FreeFrom is a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating pathways to financial security and long-term safety that support survivors of gender-based violence. FreeFrom drafted a set of guidelines and best practices that would transform survivors' ability to bank safely and keep their money secure. To read the guidelines, click here.

The Independence Project: Credit-Building through Micro-Lending

The Independence Project, a credit building program of The National Network To End Domestic Violence (NNEDV), was established in partnership with Verizon and with seed funding from Thirty-One Gifts.

Through the Independence Project, advocates and local domestic violence programs across the nation can support survivors of domestic violence in improving their credit scores through micro-lending. For more information, click here.

The NNEDV 2020 Domestic Violence Counts will take place on Thursday, September 10th starting at 8:00 AM EDT. The count will end at 7:59 AM EDT on Friday, September 11th.

Stay tuned for more details and information that will be coming to your inbox in the near future.

For more information about the NNEDV Census survey, click here.

NYSCADV is proud to again be a sponsoring organization for the

SUNY Spectrum Conference!

"The third annual SPECTRUM conference will take place digitally over the week of August 24, 2020.

SPECTRUM is the nation's largest education conference devoted to preventing and responding to sexual and interpersonal violence against members of the LGBTQI+ community."

For more information, click here.

*suny.edu

August is National Black Business Month!

"National Black Business Month has been designed to create a regimen of trust which can transform black communities globally. 31Ways 31Days encourages visiting at least one black business each day as guided by this site."

For more information, click here.

*blackbusinessmonth.com

Victim-Centered Reform: Exclusive Video Series on Trauma and Incarceration New Victim-Centered Criminal Justice Reform

The National Center for Victims of Crime (NCVC) recently launched a new website focused on victim-centered justice reform as part of our work on the Safety and Justice Challenge. The website serves as a resource hub for materials related to victim-centered criminal justice reform.

Through this effort, NCVC will be releasing a four-part video series exploring the link between childhood trauma and later involvement with the justice system. Each mini-episode will focus on the enduring effects of trauma, victimization, and shame as they relate to individuals involved with the justice system. Video segments will include feature interviews of survivors of childhood trauma on their experiences with the criminal justice system. For more information and to watch these videos, click here.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Articles

Asian Americans Are Still Caught in the Trap of the ‘Model Minority’ Stereotype. And It Creates Inequality for All - Times Magazine
How Social Media Has Become A Site For Sisterhood In the COVID-19 Pandemic - Feminist in India
It's Time Black and Brown People Be Included in the Pride Flag - them.
Polyamory and Abuse - National Domestic Violence Hotline

Factsheets

Reports

COVID-19 Impact Briefs - Vera Institute of Justice
Helping Those Who Help Others: Key Findings From a Comprehensive Needs Assessment of the Crime Victims Field - The National Resource Center for Reaching Victims
Supporting LGBTQ+ Youth is Violence Prevention - The National Resource Center for Reaching Victims

Webinar Recordings

Racial Equity, Homelessness, COVID-19 - National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty
Restorative Justice & Gender Based Violence - ABA Section of Civil Rights and Social Justice
Supporting the Health and Economic Needs of Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault and Trafficking Survivors During the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency - Futures Without Violence
Telehealth Visits: Increasing Safety for People at Risk for Abuse - Futures Without Violence
Unemployment Insurance & COVID-19: What Domestic/Sexual Violence Attorneys & Advocates Should Know - The center for Survivor Agency & Justice
White People: Reconnecting to Our Spirit and Our Humanity to Interrupt White Supremacy - Engaging Voices

Other Resources

AA and NHPI In-Language Resources for Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Casa de Esperanza's COVID-19 Resource Library
Economic Impact of COVID-19 on Survivors Survey - The Center for Survivor Agency & Justice
Increasing Access to Healing Services and Just Outcomes for Older African American Crime Survivors: A Toolkit for Enhancing Critical Knowledge and Informing Action within the Crime Victim Assistance Field - The National Resource Center for Reaching Victims
Reaching Victims Mini-Grant Program 2019 Program Overview - Vera Institute of Justice
Returning and Healing Toolkit - Vera Institute of Justice