Assembly Member Jessica González-Rojas advocates for increased funding for culturally specific gender-based violence services to support survivors across New York State. Photo courtesy of the office of AM González-Rojas
April 2, 2025 By Assembly Member Jessica González-Rojas, Zeinab Eyega and Yasmeen Hamza
As advocates who have dedicated our careers to achieving gender equity and justice, and as the representative of and service providers for some of the most culturally diverse districts in the country, we know firsthand the importance of ensuring that survivors of gender-based violence receive support that speaks to their specific needs. In Queens, where nearly 300 languages and dialects are spoken and we face the third-highest rate of reported domestic violence in New York State, the call for culturally specific services is urgent—and it is time for us to act.
While sexual and gender-based violence can be one of the least visible harms within communities across New York City (NYC), it is one of the most devastating. It can have lifelong—or even life-ending—impacts on survivors. Given increasing animosity towards immigrants and the current economic instability, which impacts the ability for survivors to leave abusive partners, it is more important now than ever to advocate for the needs of the vulnerable communities who are experiencing gender-based violence.
Specifically, the needs of culturally specific gender-based violence service providers are at the forefront at the moment—multilingual organizations that are traditionally underfunded and provide crucial multilingual services, like ours and other members of The Collective, a coalition of service providers across the five boroughs. To ensure these communities are getting the support they need, we must convert political support for survivors to $23 million in new funding for culturally specific organizations in New York State’s FY26 budget.
Culturally specific gender-based violence service providers across the five boroughs offer safety and support to survivors through language-diverse and community-embedded staff. Immigrants make up roughly 23% of New York’s population, and there have been recent rises in immigration across the state, with over 210,000 asylum seekers arriving in NYC alone since Spring 2022. These growing communities need access to case workers who speak their language and understand their customs during times of need. When survivors receive care that reflects their identities and experiences, they are more likely to seek help and successfully rebuild their lives.
Despite their critical role, culturally specific nonprofits face chronic underfunding and seek equity with broader service providers, which often end up referring clients to them who need multilingual case workers. These organizations operate on limited budgets, often relying on inconsistent grants and donations. Meanwhile, larger, mainstream service providers continue to receive the bulk of government funding, even though they may lack the cultural humility to serve diverse survivors effectively. This disparity exacerbates inequities and leaves many survivors without the support they need.
The Office of Victim Services currently supports over 200 organizations across New York State and supports their work to help survivors in countless ways. But unfortunately, more help and support is needed from New York State, especially for culturally specific gender-based violence service organizations. By providing a dedicated funding stream to directly support culturally specific organizations, we will ensure they have the resources to expand their outreach, increase their staff, and provide more multilingual mental health services. It is not enough to acknowledge the importance of these services—we must fund them accordingly.
Investing in culturally specific gender-based violence organizations is an investment in equity, safety, and justice. By providing culturally specific organizations across the state with this $23 million, survivors in every community like ours will be able to receive access to services that honor their identities, languages, and histories. It’s time for our state to take action and provide the funding necessary to make that a reality.
*Jessica González-Rojas is the Assembly Member for the 34th Assembly District in Queens, which encompasses Astoria, Corona, East Elmhurst, Jackson Heights, and Woodside. She is Chair of the Assembly Task Force on Women’s Issues. Yasmeen Hamza is the Chief Executive Officer at Womankind. Zeinab Eyega is the Executive Director at Sauti Yetu Center of African Women.
Featured Events
