According to the borough president’s office, this year’s initiative will highlight what was referred to as the critical work of Bronx-based organizations and NYC agencies “that serve to protect, counsel, educate, and support survivor families, and enforce policy to ensure Bronx residents are equipped with the resources to support their loved ones who might be experiencing domestic violence.”

In the context of the event, Melissa Cebollero, associate vice president of community affairs at Montefiore Einstein, said, “We applaud Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson for her ’31 Days of Action Against Domestic Violence’ awareness campaign.” She continued, “This campaign strongly aligns with Montefiore Einstein’s commitment to addressing the conditions that people in our community are born into, work, and live in, which are widely recognized to have a significant impact on a person’s health. We are proud to work with the Bronx Borough President’s office to ensure community members have access to the life-saving resources being made available by her office.”

Last year, the borough president relaunched the Bronx`s domestic violence advisory council, which comprises over 80 members representing NYC justice, law enforcement, and anti-violence agencies, elected officials, domestic violence advocates, service providers, and survivor organizations, as well as civic, clergy, and public health leaders.

Her team said the relaunch was in response to the consistent increase in domestic and gender-based violence in The Bronx. They said the advisory council lends its knowledge and expertise to help bring visibility and support to survivors as well as finding solutions to combat the high rates of domestic violence in the borough.

Maureen Curtis, vice president of criminal justice and court programs at the nonprofit, Safe Horizon, which works with victims and survivors of DV, said the organization was proud to partner with Gibson on what she called “this important Domestic Violence Awareness Month initiative for survivors.” She added, “Working with survivors throughout New York City, we are committed to making sure Bronx residents have access to life-saving resources for survivors to feel supported in their path to healing and know that they are not alone.”

Meanwhile, in the 46th Precinct, which covers some or all of the neighborhoods of Fordham, University Heights, Morris Heights and Mount Hope, there were 2,857 for the same period, while in the 50th Precinct, which covers some or all of the neighborhoods of Riverdale, Fieldston, Kingsbridge, Marble Hill, and Spuyten Duyvil, for the same period, there were 1,211 complaints.

The 47th Precinct, which covers some or all of Woodlawn, Wakefield, Williamsbridge, Baychester, Edenwald, Olinville, Fishbay, and Woodlawn Cemetery, had the highest number of complaints in The Bronx, and the second highest in the City for the same period at 4095. The 75th Precinct which covers parts of Brooklyn, including Cyprus Hill registered the highest number of complaints across the City at 4,349 for 2022.

John Holt is senior staff attorney at the Weinberg Center for Elder Justice. He also thanked the Office of the Bronx Borough President for bringing attention to what he called a vital issue, and for acknowledging the risk factors and barriers to seeking help, faced by older adults experiencing changes in their functional abilities, social environment, and financial situation. “Addressing domestic violence against older adults requires tailored and targeted responses and programs that can meet their complex social, legal, and medical needs,” he said.