Initiatives: Safety

• Expanding resources to combat sex trafficking in New York City by:
  • Creating a hotline that will allow victims and those who suspect others of being trafficked to call and report the crime
  • Dedicating 25 new NYPD detectives to focus on investigating sex trafficking with additional training provided for police officers in patrol to help combat human trafficking
  • The NYPD placing a greater emphasis on pimps and johns to develop long term cases against those who buy and sell people for sex

• Reading the Stanford rape survivor's letter by members of the NYC Mayor's Office

• Court approves use of electronic signature of victim in domestic violence cases.
  • This eliminates both the need for the victims to travel around the city to sign documents via pen and will also allow victims to sign the documents they need before their batterers are released from jail

• Releasing pioneering study on how outdoor lighting reduces crime – making NYC the first in the country to rigorously examine the effect of different lighting installation strategies on crime reduction, including sexual violence

• The Administration completed installation of 1,000 new lights to improve public safety.

• Establishing a historic partnership with UN Women and becoming the first American city to join the United Nation's Safe Cities Initiative

• Signing new amendments to the Human Rights Law, including Intro 832, which protects victims of domestic violence from housing discrimination

• Making unprecedented investments in domestic violence response and education through the Mayor's Office to Combat Domestic Violence – 57 percent of our FJC clients are foreign-born. Among the many services, the FJCs have dedicated city-funded civil legal immigration attorneys and staff. In 2014, over 4,500 clients were assisted with immigration legal needs

• Establishing the City's Commission on Human Rights as the first human rights agency in any major U.S. city to certify U and T visas for immigrant victims of crime and human trafficking, which allow undocumented immigrant victims of crime and human trafficking to remain in the U.S. during an investigation and provides a pathway to legal permanent residence

• Investing in domestic violence resources for Department of Homeless Services clients, including: increasing space by 50 percent to serve over 13,000 homeless children and adults per year, adding 700 units and emergency beds, and providing LINC rental assistance

• Working to end street harassment and subway "grinding" by adding 150 NYPD officers assigned to transit to respond to street/subway harassment

• Signing legislation mandating City facilities provide bathroom access to people consistent with their gender identity