Economic Empowerment Resource Guide for Domestic Violence Survivors

October is Domestic Violence Awareness month.  All New Yorkers, including domestic violence survivors, have the right to be safe and secure and should have access to opportunities for themselves and their children. Many survivors believe that they are unable to leave relationships because they are financially dependent upon their abuser. “For many survivors, gaining economic stability is key to leading safe and self-sufficient lives,” states Suzanne Tomatore, Co-Director of the City Bar Justice Center’s Immigrant Justice Project.

The City Bar Justice Center works with hundreds of domestic violence survivors each year, helping them to rebuild their lives with the assistance of pro bono attorneys. To further support survivors, we have recently updated the “Economic Empowerment Resource Guide”, which aims to identify programs in New York City that provide job training, education, language classes, information on worker’s rights, and other resources to inform individuals who are entering the workforce for the first time, seeking to sharpen their skills, or re-enter the workforce after a gap. This guide is free and also available in Spanish.

If you or a friend is experiencing domestic violence and are in New York City, you can call 311 to be connected with the local domestic violence hotline or visit a Family Justice Center. If you are outside of New York City, the National Domestic Violence Hotline is 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). The City Bar Justice Center’s Legal Hotline is available for information regarding civil legal issues for low income individuals, including survivors of domestic violence, at 212-626-7383 Monday-Thursday, 9-5 PM and Fridays 9-1.

Download the Economic Empowerment Resource Guide in English and Spanish here:

Economic Empowerment Resource Guide (2016)

Guía de Recursos para el Empoderamiento Económico (2016)