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March 12, 2025
Survivors of violence and abuse make up 1/3 of the United States population, making them a demographic that is simply too large to ignore. Following the 2024 presidential election, Safe Horizon partnered with Untold Research to conduct a national poll surveying survivors of violence about their voting behavior. In this divisive political climate, we wanted to hear directly from survivors about their needs, feelings, and what they’re demanding from national leadership.
We surveyed 2,012 survivors across the country and across party lines who voted in the presidential election. The results of the survey revealed that survivors voted for Donald Trump at the same rate as the general electorate. Survivors, like the rest of the American electorate, consider a variety of factors to inform their vote beyond their experience of surviving abuse.
Respondents shared:
Despite this division, polling emphasized the desire of survivors to have a government that listens to and supports survivors of violence and abuse.
Here are some key takeaways from the poll:
These poll results remind us that ending violence is not a partisan issue. All survivors of violence—regardless of political affiliation—need to know that their safety, dignity and well-being are a priority for all public officials. With these findings, Safe Horizon is calling on survivors of violence across the country to stand publicly in support of organizations that protect and empower survivors.
Join us in sending a clear message to President Trump—sign our open letter to demand that resources for prevention, support services, and legal protections for survivors are prioritized and protected.
January 22, 2025
Over the last three days, President Trump has signed a series of executive orders that could profoundly impact immigrant communities and survivors of violence across the country. Safe Horizon stands firm in our opposition to any policy that creates fear among survivors, deters them from seeking help, or undermines the basic rights of those who have already experienced trauma.
Many of the individuals our organization serves are immigrants who have fled violence in their home countries, survived domestic abuse, or endured human trafficking. Policies that heighten immigration enforcement without clear protections for survivors threaten to push these individuals into the shadows. When survivors fear deportation or punishment for coming forward, it becomes nearly impossible for them to seek justice, report crimes, or access lifesaving services. These executive orders risk compounding the harm survivors have already endured. They make our communities less safe.
New York has a proud history of welcoming immigrants and championing civil rights. We urge residents to contact their elected officials, support local victim service agencies, and speak out against legislation and executive actions that place vulnerable individuals at greater risk.
To survivors—whether you are an immigrant, a citizen, documented or undocumented—know that you are not alone, and help is available. We will continue to provide support regardless of identity or immigration status. Our doors are open, and we remain unwavering in our commitment to ensuring your safety, well-being, and legal rights. We stand with you.
NEW YORK — The election of Donald Trump, a politician with a well-documented history of demeaning and predatory behavior towards women, is a blow to survivors of violence, abuse and exploitation. Safe Horizon CEO Liz Roberts issued the following statement:
“At least a third of people in the U.S. identify as survivors of violence, abuse, or exploitation. The election of a candidate who routinely uses misogynistic language towards women and was found liable for sexual assault by a jury sends a chilling message to survivors.
“The election of a President who has repeatedly spread racist, anti-immigrant and transphobic stereotypes will further isolate and stigmatize Black, brown, immigrant and LGBTQI+ survivors, who already face the most formidable barriers to safety and healing.
“Now, more than ever, it is crucial that we listen to survivors, believe them, and stand with them. We need to invest in lasting cultural change to make gender-based violence unacceptable. We need to fight for equity and respect for all. The voices of survivors must not be drowned out; they must be amplified. We must advocate for policies that prioritize their safety and dignity, and challenge any attempts to take away their rights.
“Safe Horizon will continue to provide comprehensive support services for survivors while advocating for policies that allow all survivors to find safety, justice, and healing in ways that are right for them.
“Together, our fight continues to ensure that survivors are heard, believed, and can reclaim their stories.”
October 25 ,2024
As Election Day nears, this is a critical time to take stock of where we are as a country and to plot a post-election path that enables us to move forward no matter who holds office. Given that one in three people in the U.S. identifies as a survivor of violence, abuse or exploitation — and that data suggest that the real figure is well over half of the population — our vision for the future must include a robust and intersectional strategy to support survivors and reduce violence.
As the nation’s largest victim service organization, working with 250,000 survivors each year, we understand that safety is a fundamental human right that enables us to live, work and pursue happiness. Individuals must feel safe in their communities, homes, bodies and minds to thrive and reach their full potential.
We also know first-hand that violence thrives at the intersection of oppressions and, therefore, requires a comprehensive response. We know that effective gun safety legislation must acknowledge and address the link between domestic violence and gun violence. Immigration, migration and asylum policies will escalate violence and injustice if they ignore essential protections for survivors. Criminalizing homelessness while failing to address its root causes, which include violence, will shift focus from solutions to blame. Bodily autonomy — an absolute requirement for a society free of violence — will remain under threat if policy around reproductive rights and trans healthcare disregard survivors’ needs and experiences.
It is crucial that we create local, state and federal policies that are compassionate, inclusive and centered on lived experiences. Every legislative and budget decision made by lawmakers impacts the lives of survivors.
Gun violence prevention
Problem: The current political climate surrounding firearms is divisive, but one fact is clear: victims and survivors face greater risks without safe gun legislation. Policies that expand access to dangerous firearms have serious implications for mass violence and community safety, and especially for survivors of domestic violence. Research shows that the presence of a gun in the home increases the risk of injury or death by five times for those facing intimate partner violence.
Solution: The urgency for federal action on community gun violence, particularly regarding vulnerable individuals, cannot be overstated. The Supreme Court case of United States v. Rahimi underscores the critical need for national legislation to protect lives. Policymakers must implement comprehensive reforms that prioritize safety, enforce stricter regulations on firearms access and ensure protective measures for those at risk, especially survivors.
Safety for people fleeing violence and abuse
Problem: The words inscribed on the Statue of Liberty —”Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free” — embody the promise of a safe harbor; a promise that we are failing to meet for too many who come to the U.S., especially those who are fleeing violence.
Solution: Crucial legal remedies and federal programs, such as U and T-visas for survivors of violence and trafficking, are under threat. Wrap-around services for new arrivals, including access to shelter, are vital in preventing further violence and exploitation. And we urgently need to shift the narrative away from demonizing and dehumanizing immigrants. Losing these protections endangers countless individuals who have suffered violence, abuse and exploitation and are simply seeking a safer, better future. Policymakers must recognize the human experience in the immigration policies they propose.
Access to safe shelter
Problem: Housing is a human right, and housing insecurity is the result of a collective policy failure. When we criminalize homelessness, we further traumatize and harm those already vulnerable. Youth homelessness, particularly among those aged 18 to 24, is an urgent issue that often goes overlooked and underserved. This demographic faces unique challenges that require tailored solutions.
Solution: We must implement effective policies that prioritize affordable and supportive housing, homelessness prevention and comprehensive support services to help young people transition into stable living situations. Policymakers must implement compassionate, long-term solutions that address the underlying issues of housing insecurity, rather than enact punitive measures.
Bodily autonomy
Problem: The erosion of bodily autonomy contributes to a culture of violence by disrespecting the most basic of human rights. Bodily autonomy is crucial for survivors, especially regarding reproductive rights and abortion access. Survivors of intimate partner violence frequently experience sexual violence as well as physical abuse, and abusers often seek to control survivors’ access to reproductive and gender-affirming health care. Furthermore, pregnancy and parenting can escalate violence and complicate the decision to leave an abusive relationship. These realities highlight the need for reproductive independence as a vital facet of personal safety. By making abortion illegal, even in cases of incest and rape, policymakers further endanger survivors, including minors. The violation of bodily autonomy also impacts the LGBTQIA+ community, particularly for trans individuals facing barriers to healthcare and self-determination.
Solution: Policymakers must listen to survivors and end the attacks on women’s and transgender individuals’ bodily autonomy and reproductive rights. Policies that strip people of their reproductive healthcare rights are deadly and perpetuate a culture of violence.
Those who have survived violence have much to teach us about both its root causes and the solutions. When the dust settles after the elections, we invite elected officials to join us in listening to survivors and partnering with them to find real solutions to end violence. Together, we can build a future where safety and freedom from violence are accessible to everyone.
The New York City budget that went into effect on July 1, 2024, imposes a cut of $ 3 million in city funding to Safe Horizon’s precinct-based Crime Victim Assistance Program (CVAP). Safe Horizon’s CVAP is a lifeline for crime victims in New York City.
Below are selected media articles and clips about the cuts, and their impact for New Yorkers who experience crime or file a police report.
Eboni K.Williams comments on WNYC Radio
CEO Liz Roberts speaks on WNYC Radio
You can support the vital services that Safe Horizon offers to the more than 250,000 New Yorkers we partner each year by making a donation.
NEW YORK, NY (June 3, 2024) — Today, survivors and staff from New York City domestic violence shelter providers —Safe Horizon, Urban Resource Institute, Volunteers of America- of Greater New York—urge the New York State Legislature to help ensure broader access for single adult domestic violence survivors in obtaining rooms in emergency domestic violence shelters by passing the Securing Access to Fair & Equal (SAFE) Shelter Act into law. The law would allow thousands of survivors of domestic violence, as well as sexual abuse and human trafficking, to obtain safe temporary housing in domestic violence shelters in order to escape from the person causing them harm, while assuring funding for providers is kept intact for those who “downsize” a room configured for a family of two to accommodate a single adult individual.
The challenge domestic violence shelter providers currently face across the state is that the emergency domestic violence shelter system is configured for families. Most rooms are designed to hold a family of two, three, or more. Providers are financially penalized when they offer rooms designed to house more than two people to single adults. Survivors of domestic violence without children. Too often, single adults are often informed when seeking placement that emergency shelter options for them are extremely limited. These limitations often force survivors to stay in a dangerous situation, into the homeless shelter system, which is not designed to meet their needs, or onto the streets.
Members of the LGBTQ+ community, who trafficking survivors and older adult survivors are disproportionately impacted by this inequity as they often are single when they request shelter. oftentimes are single adults, are also significantly negatively impacted by this differential. The obstacles of room size for single adults and the risk of funding penalties for providers spurs the critical need for the SAFE Shelter Act, which is being sponsored by State Senator Andrew Gounardes and Assemblymember Andrew Hevesi, to put an end to inequality for domestic violence survivors without children and give them the same right to safe shelter that they deserve.
Safe Horizon, the nation’s largest victim services agency, which serves over 250,000 New Yorkers annually, receives roughly 90,000 domestic violence hotline calls per year and 40,000 domestic violence shelter requests annually on its 24-hour hotline. Each year, the largest population of individuals seeking domestic violence shelter is single adults with no children, and that number has increased year over year. In 2023, about 50% of hotline callers seeking shelter placement were single adults with no children. Only 18% were placed, compared to 26% of hotline callers who were families of two (typically a mother and one child), and who had a 72% placement rate.
“It is our commitment at Safe Horizon to serve domestic violence survivors in their most critical time of need and assure them a safe place is waiting for them when fleeing abuse and violence. It is an injustice for single adult survivors to have limited access to life-saving domestic violence shelters due to government stipulations that do not take into account the danger these survivors face. We call on our legislators to recognize domestic violence and other forms of abuse do not discriminate between single adults or those with families. We urge you to grant domestic violence shelter providers the right to fully support single adult survivors with equal access to shelter, greater flexibility to increase capacity, and the continuous ability to extend critical resources to protect survivors,” said Kelly Coyne, Chief Program Officer, Safe Horizon.
“When a survivor is ready to seek safety, there should be a safe and stable place for them to go. But the shortage of rooms for single survivors and the lack of regulatory flexibility has created a crisis situation for those we serve,” said Dr. Amanda Eckhardt, Chief Program Officer, Urban Resource Institute. “At Urban Resource Institute, we are committed to providing safe housing for all survivors of domestic violence impacted by housing insecurity and should not be forced as a sector of nonprofits to risk financial ruin to do so. The SAFE Shelter Act will help survivors, particularly LGBTQIA+ folks who disproportionately lack access to the safety of shelter. This small regulatory change, which will cost the state little, will have a profound impact on individuals that we care deeply for in our community.”
“More and more survivors without children—including older adults, male survivors, and LGBTQIA+ survivors—are coming through our doors seeking safety, but the way the State funds our domestic violence shelter programs has not kept up and it is becoming increasingly difficult for organizations like ours to serve those who need support,” says Noelle Withers, Chief Program Officer at Volunteers of America-Greater New York. “Domestic violence impacts people of all genders and family compositions and all survivors deserve safe access to shelter. The SAFE Shelter Act will support domestic violence shelter providers that serve adults without children by removing the fiscal penalty for doing so. This will open new avenues for providers like VOA-GNY to accommodate more single member households in need—including those who are the most marginalized and most often excluded by the current system.”
“At Restore we believe in a Housing First philosophy and emphasize the need for safe and stable housing as the foundation for any other form of support we provide. The truth is not all survivors have children with them while being trafficked, especially those trafficked internationally or whose children are with other family members or in foster care. This makes it difficult for many survivors to access domestic violence shelters due to the limited availability of single beds. As a result, they often remain in unsafe situations while double-occupancy beds go unfilled,” said Dr. Lenore Schaffer, Ph.D., Director of Economic Empowerment at Restore. “Being denied shelter is itself traumatic. Many survivors experience complex trauma, and when they attempt to rebuild their lives and when they face rejection because they don’t qualify for single-person beds it reinforces the lies told by their traffickers, such as “You won’t get help. I’m the only one who can take care of you, or You won’t have a place to live, and you’ll need to come back to me.” This keeps them feeling stuck and without choices. It’s not uncommon for survivors to tell us at Restore that they feel compelled to return to their trafficker when they learn they can’t access a DV shelter.”
“The current per diem reimbursement system, established more than 35 years ago, fails to address the growing number of single adult victims of domestic violence fleeing abusive situations. Based on the maximum 180-day length of stay for survivors in shelter, a DV program stands to lose nearly $21,000 for just one double-bed unit used to temporarily house a single adult. This loss would be catastrophic for even the most financially sound domestic violence program. Failing to provide shelter to a single individual could increase the likelihood the victim will return to the abusive situation. Further, this inequitable reimbursement process leads to significant undue burden for single survivors seeking shelter, particularly those in historically excluded communities, including LGBTQIA+ survivors, older adult survivors and survivors with pets. New York State can and must do better by passing the S.A.F.E. Shelter Act to ensure all survivors of domestic violence have equitable access to shelter,” said Joan Gerhardt, Director of Public Policy and Advocacy, New York State Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NYSCADV).
About Safe Horizon
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’s mission is to provide support, prevent violence and promote justice for victims of crime and abuse, their families, and communities. For more information, please visit www.safehorizon.org.
About Urban Resource Institute
URI is the largest provider of temporary housing for survivors of domestic violence in the country and a leading provider of transitional housing for families experiencing homelessness. Committed to ending cycles of violence and homelessness, URI offers trauma-informed, client-centered support to the families it serves. With 24 shelters in New York City, including 15 shelters specifically for domestic violence survivors, URI provides temporary housing to over 3,700 people each night and trauma-informed programming to approximately 40,000 people annually. Learn more by visiting www.urinyc.org.
About Volunteers of America-Greater New York
Volunteers of America-Greater New York is an anti-poverty organization working to end homelessness in the Greater New York area by 2050 by providing housing, health, and wealth-building services to individuals and families experiencing, or at imminent risk of, homelessness. Founded in New York City in 1896, we are the local affiliate of the national organization, Volunteers of America, Inc., and one of the largest providers of human services in the region with 70+ programs, including 7 domestic violence shelters, across NYC, Westchester County, and Northern New Jersey. To learn more, please visit voa-gny.org.
About New York State Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NYSCADV)
Established in 1978, NYSCADV is designated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as the information clearinghouse, primary point of contact, and resource center on domestic violence for the State of New York. NYSCADV is responsible for supporting the development of policies, protocol, and procedures to enhance domestic violence intervention and prevention and also provides education and technical assistance to the network of primary-purpose domestic violence service providers statewide.
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NEW YORK, NY – May 9, 2024 — Today, survivors and staff from Safe Horizon, the nation’s 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.
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’s five boroughs – 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.
This multidisciplinary approach recognizes the trauma-specific support crime victims require immediately following a crime, including counseling, advocacy, financial compensation and shelter.
“This $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” said Liz Roberts, CEO.
“The support services provided by Safe Horizon play a critical role for New Yorkers. It’s crucial that we fully fund the Crime Victims Assistance Program in order to have a FY25 budget that accurately reflects our values and priorities,” said Councilmember Keith Powers.
“Of 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’s 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,” said Councilmember Chris Banks.
About Safe Horizon
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’s mission is to provide support, prevent violence and promote justice for victims of crime and abuse, their families, and communities. For more please visit www.safehorizon.org.
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Statement from Safe Horizon CEO Liz Roberts on Mayor Adams’ plans to dramatically cut $3M in city funding to Safe Horizon’s precinct-based Crime Victim Assistance Program.
April 24, 2024
“At a time when New Yorkers are deeply concerned about their safety on the subway, in the streets, and in their own homes, Mayor Adams plans to dramatically cut $3M in city funding to Safe Horizon’s precinct-based Crime Victim Assistance Program. This ill-advised cut means 11,000 New Yorkers will not receive critical, and often lifesaving, services following a crime. If Mayor Adams really cares about public safety, he will reinstate this funding so that Safe Horizon can continue to provide services that restore safety, promote healing, and ultimately prevent further crime.”
Join us in telling Mayor Adams:
Public safety = survivor support
Restore CVAP funding NOW!
Safe Horizon Press Conference, October 2023
The Adult Survivors Act (ASA) is a New York State law that created a one-time, one-year lookback window for adult sexual assault survivors who were outside the statute of limitations. The one year look back window ended in November 2023. Many legal cases were brought under this law including several against prominent individuals.
Safe Horizon ran public awareness campaigns to tell survivors in New York about their rights under the ASA. Our experts shed light on this topic in several media articles.
Liz Roberts, CEO of Safe Horizon, talks with Ministry Watch: The Adult Sexual Abuse Survivors ‘Claim Revival’ Window Ended on Thanksgiving
Liz Roberts and Michael Polenberg, Safe Horizon’s Vice President Government Affairs talk to New York Times: A Final Wave of Sex-Abuse Lawsuits as One Year Window Closes in New York
Liz Roberts talks to CNN: Advocates Push For More Permanent Legal Change After 1 Year Window Closes For New Suits Under New York’s Adult Survivors Act
Michael Polenberg talks to The Independent: The End of the Sexual Assault Law That Sent Shockwaves Through Every Industry
Michael Polenberg talks to Law360: Big Names Sued Under Adult Survivors Act As Window Closes
Michael Polenberg talks to Financial Times: New York Law Unleashes ‘Avalanche’ of Historic Sexual Abuse Claims
Michael Polenberg talks to Fortune: The “Groundbreaking” Law That Inspired Cassie and E. Jean Carroll to Seek Justice Is Expiring. Sexual Assault Survivors Need More Like It
Michael Polenberg talks to Politico: The Impact of the Adult Survivors Act
Michael Polenberg talks to News10 Albany: Adult Survivors Act Lookback Window Set to Expire Soon
Michael Polenberg talks to Newsday: Bulk of Adult Survivor Lawsuits Are Filed By Women Former Inmates
Michael Polenberg talks News12 Bronx: The Adult Survivors Act launched over 2,500 Sex Abuse Suits. Now, It’s Expiring
Liz Roberts talks to Associated Press: The Adult Survivors Act launched over 2,500 Sex Abuse Suits. Now, It’s Expiring
Michael Polenberg talks to NPR: What The Abuse Lawsuit Against Diddy, One of Hip-Hop’s Most Powerful Men, Means
At Safe Horizon we know that trauma takes time, and if you are a survivor of sexual assault you can consider sharing your story with anyone you feel safe with.
Speaking to a clinical professional, such as a counselor can also help. Safe Horizon’s Counseling Center works with survivors of crime in New York City. It does not matter when the victimization occurred, our staff will conduct an intake session and develop a recovery plan that works for you.
Our Community Program staff can also work with you to review your options including legal options and they can provide counseling and referrals.
If you are outside of New York City, you can contact the Rape, Abuse, Incest National Network (RAINN) for a referral to resources in your area, that may include counseling. Your health insurance provider may also be able to help with a referral for counseling.
Regardless of whether you are located in New York City or elsewhere, and regardless if you are eligible to pursue legal action or not, please remember that only you can decide what is right for you, and that may be different from one survivor to another.