Supporting Survivors and Holding Abusers Accountable

Governor Kathy Hochul today recognized April as Sexual Assault Awareness Month in New York, issuing a statewide proclamation. This comes as the Governor made combatting sexual violence a top priority in her FY26 Budget, pushing to double funding for rape crisis programs and proposing a mandate that all hospitals provide access to trained sexual assault forensic medical examiners for victims and survivors. The Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence (OPDV) is also launching new initiatives to raise awareness about technology facilitated abuse and assault. This builds on Governor Hochul’s ongoing efforts to protect kids online and increase online safety for all New Yorkers, including through her Budget proposals to outlaw AI-Generated Child Sexual Abuse Material and require AI Companion companies to implement safety features to protect against self-harm.

“Sexual violence is an issue that affects countless individuals and families across the State, and my Administration is dedicated to strengthening resources for survivors and expanding protections to keep New Yorkers safe,” Governor Hochul said. “By recognizing April as Sexual Assault Awareness Month, we reaffirm our commitment to supporting survivors, holding perpetrators accountable, and preventing future harm, while ensuring that every New Yorker has access to the care and justice they deserve.”

In honor of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, state landmarks will be illuminated in teal tonight, Tuesday, April 1, and again on Wednesday, April 30, for NYS Denim Day. The New York State Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence (OPDV) also announced several new initiatives to help raise awareness, including the launch of an online Spot the Deepfake quiz, the launch of New York’s “Power DownSpeak Up” campaign, and the New York State Denim Day Exhibit to be held at the Empire State Plaza Concourse. Additionally, OPDV announced weekly “Sexual Violence 101” awareness trainings, which are open to the public.

OPDV Executive Director Kelli Nichols Owens said, “Many cases of sexual, domestic, and other gender-based violence, now involve some form of technology facilitated abuse or attacks. Over the last two years we have been working to engage New Yorkers in the conversations around these personal safety issues and remain committed to supporting victims and survivors in survivor-centered, trauma-informed, and culturally responsive ways. We thank you, Governor Hochul, for your dedication to improving the lives of those affected by sexual assault, be it through education, direct services and support, prevention, or response.”

OPDV’s Spot the Deepfake quiz is an online quiz designed to educate New Yorkers on how to spot AI-generated fake images. OPDV’s Spot the Deepfake quiz allows participants to examine pictures to determine if they are real or deepfake images. Individuals who take this quiz will receive a score at the end, as well as important information on how to differentiate AI-generated images from real ones.

In March, OPDV launched the Statewide “Power Down, Speak Up” campaign, working to raise awareness and help protect New Yorkers from technology facilitated abuse, including sextortion, deepfakes, unauthorized location tracking, and online harassment. Join OPDV in powering down technology threats and speaking up for yourself by sharing Power Down, Speak Up posts on your social media.

Finally, as part of an international movement to raise awareness about sexual assault, the New York State Denim Day Exhibit will be held April 28-April 30 at the Empire State Plaza Concourse. This exhibit is hosted by OPDV, in partnership with the NYS Office of General Services. The Denim Day movement started more than 25 years ago, after the Italian Supreme Court ruled that because a victim was wearing tight jeans, she must have helped the person who raped her remove them, implying consent. Following the ruling, women in the Italian Parliament wore jeans to work in solidarity with the victim.

Protecting People Online
As part of her ongoing leadership and commitment to protecting people and especially children online, this year Governor Hochul proposed updating the penal law to treat AI-generated child sexual abuse material as child pornography. Existing laws address traditional child pornography, but the emergence of easily accessible “undressing” apps and the misuse of generative AI highlight the need to strengthen and modernize these laws. Governor Hochul has also proposed legislation to require AI companionship companies to implement safety features to protect against self-harm and to remind users they are interacting with machines rather than humans. These steps aim to reduce risks and ensure safer interactions with AI companions, which are part of a rapidly developing and largely unregulated market where chatbots are designed to simulate human connection, remember personal details, and adapt their personality to user preferences to establish long-term relationships.

Ensuring Child Victims of Crime Are Maximally Supported
A child becoming the victim of a crime is every parent's worst nightmare, especially when the crime is violent in nature. When that does happen, families must walk the difficult line of supporting the pursuit of justice while also protecting their young loved one from having to re-experience and relive the crime and trauma. Child Advocacy Centers provide a child-friendly, safe, supportive environment for child victims of abuse or neglect and crime. Children and their loved ones have access to victim advocacy, mental health support and specialized medical exams from a multi-disciplinary team of professionals. This year, Governor Hochul will double funding to the Child Advocacy Centers to ensure that as children receive services and support, they have one single advocate who works with them and their family through the entire process. This will ensure young victims of crime and their families are prepared and supported by the same trusted adult at every step in the process.

State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said, “Sadly, too many individuals are coping with trauma because they have experienced sexual, domestic, and other gender-based violence. We must continue to have open and honest conversations and provide survivors with support and resources with empathy and compassion. I thank Governor Hochul for her unwavering commitment to giving survivors of domestic and sexual violence access to resources of healing and informing New Yorkers through education, prevention strategies, and response.”

Office of Children and Family Services Commissioner Dr. DaMia Harris-Madden said, “In the United States, a sexual assault occurs, on average, every 68 seconds. The implications of this type of violence are felt physically, psychologically, emotionally, developmentally and financially, and underscore the substantial need to implement efficacious and assessable supports and safeguards. OCFS is proud to join Governor Hochul and the Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence in reinforcing New York State’s commitment to combatting sexual violence. OCFS is committed to prevention and support to survivors, through services at Child Advocacy Centers, which offer resources to children who have experienced assault; the Safe Harbour New York program and the EMPOWER program for youth who have been sexually trafficked; and working closely with local rape crisis programs, where appropriate, to support adults experiencing domestic violence. We will continue to message that survivors of sexual violence are never at fault and that New York State government will lend its resources to assisting survivors in their healing journey.”

Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance Commissioner Barbara C. Guinn said, “We are grateful to Governor Hochul for making combatting sexual violence a top priority in her FY2026 Executive Budget and to all of our state and local partners for helping to raise awareness about sexual assault and honor survivors for their resiliency and strength. We are also grateful to OPDV for their dedication to supporting victims and survivors and for raising awareness about sexual assault through education and ongoing trainings.”

Office of Victim Services Director Bea Hanson said, “Sexual assault survivors deserve to have all of the resources and support they need to help them heal. OVS is proud of the work we have done to improve tracking of forensic exam kits, covering medical costs and counseling for survivors, and raising funding caps and eliminating red tape for reimbursements of costs incurred as a result of crime. We thank Governor Hochul, who has consistently shown leadership and support for survivors, as well as OPDV, which provides critical resources and support.”

New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services Commissioner Rossana Rosado said, “Survivors deserve support and compassion when they seek help from law enforcement. DCJS funds and supports police agencies, district attorneys’ offices, and service providers that engage with victims and survivors throughout the state, and work to ensure their rights should they wish to involve the justice system. We are proud to stand with Governor Hochul and our state and local partners to shine a light on sexual assault and provide the resources that survivors need to recover and heal.”

Division of Criminal Justice Services
New York State’s Domestic and Sexual Violence Hotline provides free, confidential support 24/7 and is available in most languages: 800-942-6906 (call), 844-997-2121 (text) or @ opdv.ny.gov (chat).