In our 25 years of practice, BDS has identified numerous barriers people face in accessing victim services in New York City. For many of the people we serve, the first time they have disclosed that they are a victim of gender-based violence is when they have become enmeshed in the legal system. Many of the people we serve indicate they have not previously reported their experiences of gender-based violence because they fear they will not be believed. Others have attempted to involve law enforcement but were not believed or were asked to prove they had been harmed and were retraumatized by the process. This is particularly true for people living with substance use disorders or mental illness. The people we serve report feeling most safe discussing experiences of gender-based violence in programs with a harm reduction model, where they feel they can openly and confidentially share information with peers and providers without fear of NYPD or other system involvement.

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