Stephanie Woodbine testifies as NGBV Advisory Council co-chair

Good morning Chair Faraias and members of the City Council Gender Equity Committee.

Thank you for the opportunity to address the Council regarding the restructure of the Mayor's Office to end gender-based violence under the Office of Community Safety.

My name is Stephanie Woodbine.

I co-chair the Advisory Council at NGBV, and I'm a member of NYU Langone Housing and Health Lab, Speakers Bureau, and PAIR Network Cohort 2.

Serving as a resource for researchers, healthcare providers, and policymakers to better understand topics such as how people lose their housing,

diverse experiences with homelessness, and ways to improve systems of care for people facing housing challenges.

The Mayor's Office to End Gender-Based Violence is a base where survivors receive inclusive services and support, not incident-based, by rebuilding their lives after fleeing abuse.

With a swipe of a pen, 25 years of meaningful health and human services work was reduced, and a press conference was held.

conference called to announce its demotion as a standalone mayoral office.

There was no input from survivors.

It is perceived as a blow to our safety and how we access culturally competent resources in trauma-informed settings.

A move to restructure NGBV comes at a time when survivors across the United States continue to receive alarming directives from the federal government, and especially on

easy federal cut is to the EHV program created to alleviate the surge in homelessness post-COVID.

Many, many survivors receive these vouchers.

They will be losing their homes and very soon.

Surely there will be some carve out for them in the form of a city FEP's full expansion.

But there's also a gap in traditional poverty measures and the actual cost of living in New York City.

Robust investments must be made to proven paths of safety for survivors, such as direct cash and timely payments of contracts that is imperative to the viability of said paths.

Harmful social norms perpetrate gender-based and intimate partner violence.

Survivorship is nuanced and society plays a huge role.

Through education and awareness, pervaded narratives about survivors will change if the city leads the charge.

We have yet to hear from our administration.

Addressing the issue of domestic violence despite it being a driver of much of the city's most urgent social issues.

And we do fear the demotion of NGBV will cut survivors and partner organizations direct access to leadership.

Invite survivors to the policymaking table.

Have us as collaborators on next steps.

The intention should be transparent partnership and not the diversion of specialized resources.

resources for survivors.

Finally, gun violence and hate crimes are highest within the survivor community.

Reducing gun violence and increasing safety begins with safety in the home.

Thank you.

Thank you so much.

And just a reminder, you're okay.

Yes, a reminder for two minutes.

But also, if you want to submit

that testimony, any of the additional testimony that's extended, we receive it, we read it to testimony at councils.myc.gov.

You have 72 hours after the hearing.

You may begin.