NYC Council Member Ydanis Rodriguez

ASSEMBLY MEMBER GABRIELA ROSA CONVENES A COMMUNITY FORUM ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

A substantive discussion of ongoing issues within the community with a focus on youth domestic violence

New York, NY— On Thursday, February 6th, Assembly Woman Gabriela Rosa will convene a community forum to address the serious issue of domestic violence in Washington Heights, Inwood, New York City and across New York State. The forum will include a panel discussion with domestic violence service providers, policy experts, elected officials and law enforcement representatives followed by a question and answer session where members of the public can make inquiries of the panel. The Assembly Member intends to put domestic violence prevention at the top of her agenda and will work with experts in the field to help advocate for policies and programs that can help lead to a prevention in the incidence of domestic violence within relationships. 

Assembly Member Rosa has decided to convene this important forum at a time when domestic violence and broader women’s issues continue to be in the spotlight. In January, Governor Andrew Cuomo, within his State of the State address, announced that he will champion the “Women’s Equality Act’ as one of his top 2013 legislative priorities. The Assembly Member plans to call on elected officials to join her in supporting this bill, as well as to reexamine and pass any pending Assembly legislation that can specifically address issues surrounding youth domestic violence. Unfortunately, Washington Heights and Inwood have among the highest rates of reported domestic violence incidents in New York City, with one-half of all reported incidents in Manhattan occurring in Upper Manhattan. Moreover, while domestic violence affects all races, classes and ethnicities, recent NYC Department of Health data indicates that Latina and African-American women suffer the greatest rate of intimate partner violence in the city. As a Dominican-American woman newly elected to the State Assembly, Assembly Member Gabriela Rosa will work with her Assembly colleagues to ensure that this legislation is passed.

What: Community Forum on Domestic Violence

Who: Assembly Member Gabriela Rosa, State Senator Adriano Espaillat, City Council Member Ydanis Rodriguez, Assembly Member Carmen Arroyo, Dominican Women’s Development Center, National Organization for Women (NOW) – New York State Chapter, Northern Manhattan Improvement Corporation (NMIC), Children’s Aid Society, Inwood Community Services, Centro Altagracia, Mayor’s Office to Combat Domestic Violence, Manhattan District Attorney’s Office – Domestic Violence Unit, Domestic Violence Units from 33rd and 34th Precincts and others.

Where: Isabella Geriatric Center at 515 Audubon Avenue New York, NY 10040

When: Thursday, February 7th at 6:30 PM