Manhattan Legal Services Hosts Comprehensive Anti-Stalking Workshop

On June 10th, Manhattan Legal Services (MLS, a program of Legal
Services NYC) hosted a community legal workshop on stalking. Presenters
included MLS's Family Law Unit Director Tracey Bing, the New York District Attorney's Family Violence Bureau Chief,
CONNECT, Harlem Independent Living Center, HELP USA Domestic Violence
Shelter and the Violence Intervention Program. The event, attended by
135 people, featured simultaneous Spanish and American Sign language
interpretation.

Tracey Bing (above) provided detailed
information about cultural competency and safety planning with
victims/survivors of domestic violence and stalking with family court
cases. CONNECT gave a presentation on how to make a safety plan and
Harlem Independent Living Center and HELP USA Domestic Violence Shelter
defined what stalking involves, how technology is used for stalking and
how people with disabilities experience stalking. New York County
District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance Jr.'s Family Violence Bureau Chief
presented on NY State criminal stalking laws and how to build evidence
for a stalking case and the Violence Intervention Program highlighted
the connection between stalking and femicide.

(Above: MLS Family Law Unit Senior Staff Attorney Lenina Trinidad and MLS HIV and Family Law Unit Licensed Certified Social Worker Diana Halperin) (Above: Mae Carrington, MLS Family law Unit Paralegal, and Kerri Moles of the Children's Aid Society's Family Wellness Program)

Manhattan Legal Services is the host agency of the Upper Manhattan Domestic Violence Services Collaborative.  The collaborative is a partnership of twelve community based health, social services, legal services and law enforcement agencies dedicated to providing a single point of entry for linguistically appropriate, culturally competent civil legal assistance, immigration, clinical and supportive services to victims and survivors of domestic violence.   The collaborative model was designed to address the unmet service needs of African, African American and Latino women who are victims and survivors of domestic violence living in Upper Manhattan.  This model has implemented a single point of entry so that victims and survivors can contact one of the member agencies to access all the services offered by the Collaborative, eliminating the burden of navigating multiple systems to receive services.    

Services provided for domestic violence, stalking and sexual assault victims include:

• Training and legal clinics for community based organizations,
  advocates, medical personnel and law enforcement on topics related to
  domestic violence, family law, criminal prosecution and health care
  treatment. If you are interested in hosting a training, or would like
  more information, please contact Tracey Bing at tbing (at)
  mls.ls-nyc.org.
• Bi-lingual preventive, clinical, crisis intervention and case management services
• Bi-lingual individual, group and family counseling
• Legal advocacy
• HIV/STI/TB/Hepatitis and Pregnancy testing
• Referrals for shelter, housing placement, ESL & job readiness programs
• Bi-lingual on-site legal intake and advocacy services
• Representation in legal proceedings in Family, Supreme and the Integrated Domestic Violence Court involving orders of protection, custody, visitation, child support, abuse and neglect (foster care) and divorce matters