Mission
Programs and Services

Mission

Founded in 1982 as the first domestic violence organization on the East Coast to serve the Asian communities, the New York Asian Women's Center (NYAWC) helps battered women overcome violence and govern their own lives, free of abuse. The Center also works to raise public awareness about domestic violence, advocate for the rights of battered women, and create an agenda for social change.

All of NYAWC's services are free and confidential, rooted in our philosophy of empowering women and supporting their choices so that they can lead their lives without fear of violence.

Our Programs and Services

All of our services are free and confidential.

Recognizing that every survivor's circumstances and life experiences are unique and distinct, NYAWC aims to provide services that are not only culturally sensitive and empowering, but tailored to individual needs.

24-Hour Multilingual Hotline (1-888-888-7702)
Anyone seeking more information about domestic violence or our services can call our confidential hotline and speak to a counselor in English or one of 11 different Asian languages and dialects.

Shelter Alternatives: Fostering Empowerment (SAFE)
SAFE empowers women within their own communities, helping them rebuild and govern their lives free from abuse. SAFE offers a range of services for victims of domestic violence including:

• Counseling
• Advocacy
• Translation/Interpretation
• Support Groups
• Entitlement Assistance
• Education/Employment Assistance
• English as a Second Language (ESL) Instruction.

Emergency Shelter
Emergency Shelters are available to women for whom confidential shelter is necessary. In our shelters, women receive all of the services listed above plus a safe home for themselves and their children.

Children's Program
Our Children's Program helps children who have witnessed and/or experienced domestic violence through services such as counseling, advocacy, art therapy, support groups, referrals and case management.

Community Education and Outreach
NYAWC provides information and training to educate leaders and members of the community about domestic violence and the services that we offer. NYAWC also offers cultural sensitivity training and information about domestic violence to police precincts, hospitals, schools, and any other interested groups.

Advocacy
NYAWC advocates for victims' rights, appropriate services and supportive policies through our participation in advocacy events and through our membership in coalitions such as: Coalition of Residential Service Providers, Human Services Council Work Group, Interagency Task Force Against Domestic Violence, Downstate Coalition for Crime Victims, NYS Coalition Against Domestic Violence, and more.

Project Free: Ending Modern-day Slavery
Project Free is a special initiative of the New York Asian Women's Center to provide services for victims of human trafficking, a form of modern-day slavery. In 2004 the U.S. Department of Justice estimated that between 14,500 and 17,500 men, women and children are trafficked into the United States every year. About 80% of trafficking victims are female, and 70% of female victims are trafficked for the commercial sex industry. It is estimated that 40-66% of those trafficked into the U.S. come from areas in Asia and the Pacific Rim. New York City has been identified as one of the main ports of entry for traffickers in the U.S.

Recognizing that human trafficking is a serious problem in the Asian communities of New York City and the service gap, NYAWC initiated Project Free in 2005 to provide services for victims of human trafficking. Using NYAWC’s successful model of service for Asian immigrant victims of domestic violence, many of whom face obstacles similar to those faced by trafficking victims, Project Free helps victims regain their freedom and recover from trauma through intensive, culturally and linguistically appropriate services such as screening potential victims of trafficking, counseling, case management, advocacy, and coordination with law enforcement and legal services. Project Free also conducts outreach to Asian American communities, law enforcement, and other service providers in New York City to heighten awareness about trafficking, and participates in policy advocacy to impact positive change in laws around human trafficking in the U.S. and New York State.