BFL’s Secret Garden Domestic Violence Program held its annual Women’s Day Celebration this month. The event heralded the courage and triumphs of survivors who have grown and healed through the program. The celebration included a poetry reading, piano recital and lunch. Special gift bags were provided by The Body Shop. [...]

The BFL Survivor’s Speaker’s Bureau released its Mother’s Day themed newsletter. The Bureau is  made up of women with disabilities  “some who had been rejected by their families, some had decided to end their  abuse and go into shelter, and many who had to stop pursuing their educational dreams,” said Theresa [...]

Residents of BFL’s Freedom House Emergency Shelter graduated from the EASE program this April. The ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL EMPOWERMENT (EASE) PROGRAM, created by Robert Hawkins and Alisha Ali of New York University, helps to equip survivors of domestic violence with resources to secure sustainable employment. Pictured at the graduation are: [...]

Freedom House Emergency Shelter launched a vibrant new Adult Poetry Club.  The club allows residents to “express themselves through creative writing in order to promote positive mental health while sharing their creative writing with the members of the group.” The group was led by the Occupational Therapy team;  Residents contributed [...]

Since 2010 the Kids Wish Network has honored more than 30 children at Freedom House Emergency Shelter with a Hero of the Month award. The honorees of this program are children between the ages of 3 and 18 who have faced and overcome difficult circumstances, often enduring a great deal of pain [...]

BFL’s Occupational Therapy Program Coordinator Patricia Motus,  OTR/L,  and Christina Marino, MS, OTR/L presented “Occupational Therapy with Survivors of Domestic Violence: An Initial Cross Case Analysis for Determining Factors of Success in a Shelter Setting” at the The American Occupational Therapy Association’s 93rd Annual Conference & Expo in San Diego [...]

A Resident at BFL’s Freedom House Emergency Shelter sent a letter to staff expressing gratitude about her healing journey and how she gained  strength as she moved through obstacles. Click here to read the inspiring letter.

AWARE organized and hosted a Family Carnival at BFL’s Freedom House Emergency Shelter on April 13, bringing hope and laughter to survivors of domestic violence and their families.   The Carnival featured face-painting, glitter tattoos, a photo booth, basketball, live music, cotton-candy and an appearance by Elmo.  AWARE’S  Ellen L. [...]

Sexual Abuse of Children with Disabilities: A National Snapshot was recently released at a congressional briefing in Washington, DC.  The report provides an overview of the latest research on the incidence and prevalence of sexual abuse of children with disabilities. View the report here.

Miss M., a woman who found safety and healing at BFL’s Secret Garden domestic violence program, shared a letter of gratitude with staff, thanking them for “giving me back my life.”  Miss M. said the program helped her to change her “destiny forever.” Click here to read Miss M.’s letter.

CODES OF HOPE, an  innovative six-week curriculum highlighting the aspects of inter-generational trauma and its relationship to domestic violence, is working with participants at BFL’s Secret Garden and Freedom House programs. Activities include inventive approaches to healing, such as a dinner party theater game exploring the dynamics of power and control. [...]

On, April 4th, the Women’s Equality Coalition will be having press conferences around the state. The Coalition will focus on the Women’s Equality Agenda, a groundbreaking new plan that will break down barriers and promote fairness and equal opportunity for women. Topics include: Stopping Housing Discrimination for Victims of Domestic [...]

Created in 2012, Beyond Freedom is a transitional support group that grew from the agency’s mission to guide people with disabilities to lead dignified lives free of abuse. It was spearheaded by BFL’s Freedom House Emergency Shelter team. The idea was to create a dynamic group where current and former [...]

The BFL Speaker’s Bureau held its first gala Graduation March 27. Graduates shared empowering stories of healing and their support of the Bureau’s mission to continue to educate around the topics of domestic violence and disability.  Founder Theresa McIntosh lead the celebration, which featured poetry and a visit from Victor [...]

Support Denim Day to protest sexual violence by wearing denim on April 24.  To learn more click here. Also, In honor of Sexual Assault Awareness Month (April) and Denim Day there will be a Citywide Op-ed Writing Contest for college students. A$500 prize for one winner from each Borough will be offered. Denim [...]

Legal Services NYC-Bronx and Queens Legal Services today announced the filing of new federal lawsuit that seeks to reform the New York City Housing Authority’s treatment of domestic violence victims who are seeking emergency public housing in order to escape from their abusers. Click here to read more.

This “Protecting Domestic Violence Victims AND Their Pets” webinar will be held on Wednesday, March 20, 2013 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM Eastern Time and will focus on the barriers to leaving an abusive relationship faced by domestic violence victims with pets. To attend click here for instructions. Many domestic [...]

A program to equip survivors of domestic violence with resources to secure sustainable employment launches this month at Freedom House Emergency Shelter. The EASE Program (Economic and Social Empowerment) presented by Dr.  Robert Hawkins and Alisha Ali of New York University helps shelter residents to understand the importance of of [...]

            March 13 is the official NO MORE Day: Together we can end Domestic Violence NO MORE is a simple idea with the power to unleash new, major  attention to the people all around us who are hurt – directly or indirectly – by domestic [...]

Project Papillon NYC brought Spa Day to BFL’s Freedom House Emergency Shelter in February, working with women at the shelter in line with Papillon’s mission which is to “rebuild the self-esteem and confidence of homeless women that are victims of Domestic Violence by transforming their outer appearance to match their [...]

A thought provoking and stirring article by Pearl Brownstein who writes: I am one of the unlikely homeless. I have a master’s degree and a career in publishing, and I was a co-op owner in New York City’s Chelsea neighborhood—yet my 10-month-old son and I now reside in a domestic-violence [...]

A recent article by Fox News discusses the relationship of the link between domestic violence and traumatic brain injury, noting that: There have been a lot of questions about country singer Mindy McCready’s substance abuse and its association with her recent suicide. But the question we should be asking is: [...]

BFL connected with SIAD Tarragona (Town Hall of Tarragona) who organized an event under the support of the civic movement “One Billion Rising”, in plaça de la Font, Tarragona last 14th february’13. SIAD sent a shout out to BFL which participated in the NYC Washington Square rising. View the video.

The children at BFL’s Freedom House Domestic Violence emergency shelter took part in a special pajama party this month, thanks to a donation from the nationally known Pajama Program. The Pajama Program provides new pajamas and new books to children in need.

On V-Day’s 15th Anniversary, 14 February 2013,  the worldwide phenomenon One Billion Rising was kicked off. ONE BILLION women and those who love them joined the call to WALK OUT, DANCE, RISE UP, and DEMAND an end to domestic violence.The Washington Square Park, NYC rising supported by Barrier Free Living, [...]