New York City Mayor Eric Adams today announced that City Hall and a number of other municipal buildings will be lit purple tonight for the ninth annual “NYC Go Purple Day” in recognition of Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
The lighting of city buildings will be done in coordination with other New York City sites across the five boroughs.
“Everyone deserves to be safe in their relationships and live a life free of domestic and gender-based violence,” said Mayor Adams. “I urge all New Yorkers to join me during Domestic Violence Awareness Month to help spread awareness and to let survivors know they are never alone. Let’s spread help and hope together.”
“During Domestic Violence Awareness Month we recognize the immense and far-reaching impacts domestic, intimate-partner, and gender-based violence have on our community here in New York City and what we are doing to combat it,” said Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Anne Williams-Isom. “To every person or family touched by these issues, we stand with you, we elevate your voices, and we are here to support you.”
“Domestic Violence Awareness Month highlights the city’s efforts to keep our community safe and free from violence,” said Mayor’s Office to End Domestic and Gender-Based Violence Commissioner Cecile Noel. “As Mayor Adams has said before, domestic and gender-based violence is a public health crisis, and we must take a coordinated, holistic approach to address the acute and unique needs of survivors. Our office works to implement this approach daily, and we are thrilled have the support of the Adams administration in developing and implementing new programs to interrupt cycles of violence and enhance support for survivors throughout the city. Join us this month and raise awareness of the dynamics and impacts of domestic violence by lifting up the stories and experiences of survivors and sharing vital information and resources.”
In addition to City Hall, the following city buildings and iconic New York City sites will be lit up purple tonight:
City Buildings Being Lit Up:
- The David N. Dinkins Manhattan Municipal Building
- Gracie Mansion
- Queens Borough Hall
- Staten Island Borough Hall
- One Police Plaza
- The Parachute Jump in Coney Island
- The Arsenal in Central Park
- Bronx County Courthouse
Iconic New York City Sites Scheduled to Be Lit Up:
- 1 World Trade Center
- Bank of America Tower
- Four Times Square
Domestic violence occurs everywhere, among people of all races, cultures, religions, and income levels. It can happen to anyone regardless of age, gender, or sexual orientation. While domestic violence is considered one of the most under-reported crimes, in 2021 there were 260,084 domestic violence incident reports filed by the New York City Police Department — an average of 700 a day. In 2021, there were 93,735 calls to New York City’s 24-hour Domestic Violence hotline at 1-800-621-HOPE (4673), with 6,970 unique requests for shelters. The NYC Hope website — where survivors can access resources and information — had 50,100 visits, an average of almost 140 visits a day.
The Adams administration’s commitment to advancing the city’s responses to domestic and gender-based violence is supported with multiple innovative strategies and initiatives, including:
- Respect & Responsibility: ENDGBV launched a free, non-mandated Abusive Partner Intervention Program for individuals who have caused harm in their intimate relationships. The program implements a trauma-informed curriculum that aims to have participants take accountability, stop causing harm, and change behavior. Programming launched in February 2022 with three city-contracted providers that facilitate introductory sessions and multi-week groups and support participants with access to case management and other services.
- HOME+: A free option for survivors of domestic and gender-based violence who want to stay in their homes safely instead of entering shelter or going elsewhere. The program provides survivors with personal emergency-response systems to call for help, along with ongoing safety planning and case management services from a local domestic violence organization. Launched in October 2021, this citywide program will soon expand to provide free emergency door and window lock repair and replacement to enhance security.
- Flexible Funding/Microgrants: Mayor Adams’ housing and homelessness blueprint included resources for emergency financial grants to survivors of domestic and gender-based violence, many of whom are impacted by financial abuse directly or who need financial assistance to mitigate the impacts of abuse. The flexible funding program will engage community-based providers in providing low-barrier emergency grants to survivors. This financial assistance will help survivors navigate safety, avoid shelter entry, and offer them a chance to get back on their feet.
- Emergency Housing Voucher Program: ENDGBV is working with more than 30 community-based partners to help survivors of domestic and gender-based violence apply for and find permanent housing with an emergency housing voucher. ENDGBV has facilitated access to approximately 1,200 emergency housing vouchers for survivors to date, with an additional 600+ emergency housing vouchers applications in process.
For more information on October’s Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM) campaign, visit the city’s official website.
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