Mission
Programs and Services

Mission

The New York Asian Women’s Center helps women and their children overcome domestic violence and other forms of abuse by empowering them to govern their own lives.  The Center provides a safe haven through multi-lingual support programs and shelter services.  In addition, the Center works to raise public awareness about violence against women, advocates for the rights of survivors, and acts as an agent of social change.

Our Programs and Services

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. All of our services are free and confidential.

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 over a dozen Asian languages and dialects.

Shelter Alternatives: Fostering Empowerment (SAFE)
SAFE works to empower women who are not ready to leave their batterer or in need of shelter with resources, information, and support so that they can lead safe, healthy and secure lives. Services include crisis intervention and counseling, case management, advocacy assistance, support groups, children’s services, translation, entitlement assistance, education/employment assistance and ESOL tutoring.

Emergency Shelter
Temporary emergency residence is available to women for whom confidential shelter is necessary. In our residences, women receive all of the services listed above plus a safe home for themselves and their children for up to 135 days. NYAWC currently operates two Emergency Residences with a total capacity of 40 beds. Continuing care services are available for women and children after they leave our residences.

Children's Program
Our Children’s Program helps children who have witnessed and/or experienced abuse through services such as counseling, advocacy, art therapy, support groups, toddler development groups, information, referrals, case management, mentoring, and recreational activities.

To make a referral for Children’s Program counseling services, please complete the Service Providers Referral Form and submit it to Asuna Osako at aosako@nyawc.org.

Community Education and Outreach
NYAWC provides information and training for community based organizations 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.

Project Free: Ending Modern-day Slavery
Project Free helps survivors of human trafficking regain their freedom and recover from trauma through services including counseling, emergency shelter, case management and advocacy, and coordination with law enforcement and legal services. Project Free also conducts outreach to Asian American communities, law enforcement, and other service providers to heighten awareness about trafficking.

Immigration Legal Services
The Center’s Legal Department was established in 2011 and is focused on assisting the Center’s clients with immigration relief to break the power and control by their abuser or traffickers. Our expertise is on victim-related immigration relief, including U and T visas and VAWA self-petitions. Our attorneys represent clients in their filings for appropriate relief as well as attend immigration interviews and immigration court hearings with the clients. The Legal Department also collaborates with other legal services providers to set up family law clinics to allow clients to consult with attorneys regarding Orders of Protection, divorce, child custody and child support. Since 2013, our Legal Department has a special DACA project that focuses on immigration relief available to undocumented youth.

Asian Empowerment Program (AWE)
Every saturday, survivors participate in wellness and self empowering activities such as trauma sensitive yoga, practical ESL tutoring, and vocational tutoring, and receive helpful information on women’s health and immigrant rights. AWE also helps women who are highly probable of being abused or trafficked to feel safe enough to disclose that they are victims and proactively seek help.

SPECIAL PROJECTS

Mentor Program
NYAWC’s Mentor Program is the first-ever mentorship program to benefit Asian child survivors of domestic violence in New York City. The Mentor Program partners with college students from a local university to provide children survivors between the ages of 5 to 12 years with educational, recreational, social and emotional support through structured one-on-one mentoring relationships. Through participation in various group and one-on-one activities around the city, children and their mentors establish positive mentoring relationships. Children are also exposed to new neighborhoods and people, and to new social, cultural and educational experiences.

Digital Art Therapy (DAT)
NYAWC’s DAT project helps youth 13 years and older affected by domestic violence by providing an additional outlet, besides individual counseling and support groups, focusing on helping youth cope with family violence. Computer art courses combine art therapy and computer technology. Mentoring, recreational and educational activities aim to provide emotional support, enhance group socialization skills, explore academic and professional interests, expand a youth’s knowledge of their community at large, and strengthen the family bond.

Technical Assistance Projects
NYAWC collaborates with child welfare, healthcare, and legal service providers to better identify and serve Asian survivors of domestic violence. NYAWC provides customized workshops, trainings, and consultations to staff members of our partner organizations. In addition, their clients who are domestic violence survivors receive services from NYAWC. Currently we have three projects: Hitting Home partners with child welfare agencies that work with Asian American families. Safety First teams up with Lutheran Medical Center and Lutheran Family Health Centers to assist domestic violence victims who visit their facilities. Home Court Advantage partners with the Children’s Law Center in NYC to teach attorneys representing children of Asian domestic violence survivors to be more culturally aware.

Asian Women Empowerment Centers (Community Offices)
Our Asian Women Empowerment Center in Elmhurst, Queens aids Asian domestic violence and human trafficking victims, and female victims of gender violence and other crimes. This walk-in center provides DV services; assessment and referrals for crime victims; and assistance with legal and immigration issues and obtaining shelter, housing, public benefits, jobs, and ESOL instructions. Our second community officein Sunset Park opened in January 2012.

NYAWC at New York City Family Justice Centers
The New York City Family Justice Centers (FJCs) in Brooklyn and Queens, provide a one stop location for a complete range of domestic violence services including counseling, legal services, housing, immigration and entitlement programs. NYAWC is an active and essential participant at NYC’s FJCs as we are currently the only partner organization that provides culturally and linguistically appropriate pan-Asian services.