Op-ed: The crisis facing immigrant gender-based violence survivors

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.