Dear Friends,

Domestic Violence resulted in almost 500,000 to police agencies throughout the state in the past year. Assemblymember Rodneyse Bichotte wants you to know there is help for victims of domestic violence. No one should have to live their life in fear of a partner of family member.

Assemblymember Bichotte is a member of the Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence Advisory Council. Their mission is to improve New York State's response to and prevention of domestic violence with the goal of enhancing the safety of all New Yorkers in their intimate and family relationships. Their vision is to create a State in which communities and systems are committed to supporting and promoting equality, dignity and respect so that individuals can feel safer in their intimate and family relationships.

Domestic violence is a pattern of coercive tactics, which can include physical, psychological, sexual, economic and emotional abuse, perpetrated by one person against an adult intimate partner, with the goal of establishing and maintaining power and control over the victim.

Domestic violence is also called domestic abuse, intimate partner violence, or dating violence. It may include sexual assault. People most often people think of domestic violence as physical abuse, but that's only part of the picture. Many victims are never physically or sexually assaulted but are controlled and terrorized by their partners' use of non-physical tactics such as: verbal, emotional/psychological abuse; coercion and threats; isolation; minimizing, denying, blaming; using children; intimidation; and economic abuse.

Help is available. A community agency that offers services to victims of domestic violence, called a domestic violence program, can be your first step to safety and support. There is a domestic violence program in every county of the state. All programs offer services such as support groups, legal advice and children's services. Some programs also offer a safe place to stay. To find the domestic violence program in your area, call the NYS Domestic and Sexual Violence Hotline, 1-800-942-6906. In New York City, call 1-800-621-HOPE (4673) or Click here for a listing of hotlines and help throughout the state.

My office is a resource. Please feel free to contact us at 718-940-0428.

Sincerely,
Rodneyse Bichotte
Member of the NYS Assembly