(New York, NY, Friday, March 18, 2022) – The Women’s Bar Association of the State of New York (“WBASNY’) acknowledges Governor Kathy Hochul for providing in her Budget proposal $14 million ($14,000,000) in additional funding to help fill the projected shortfall under the Victims of Crimes Act (“VOCA”). The VOCA Fund was created to provide federal support to state and local programs that assist victims of crime. The additional funding was required due to the Federal Government’s recent announcement that there would be a substantial cut to the amount of funding for crime victims. WBASNY believes that the Governor’s action is an admirable start in addressing funding deficits for crime victim services currently faced by the State of New York.

The COVID-19 pandemic isolated domestic violence victims with their abusers causing an alarming rise in domestic violence and intimate partner violence.  WBASNY strongly supports victims of domestic violence, child abuse, sexual assault, and other crimes by supporting legislation that assists, protects, and improves their lives, including providing mental health services, housing services, medical services, and legal services.

WBASNY is dedicated to, and advocates for, the equal and fair treatment of all women, children, and the most vulnerable populations of society.  WBASNY’s membership includes legal practitioners who are on the front lines working for and with service providers that are funded by VOCA.  These critical services help provide important protections to ensure that victims and survivors have access to the services they require.

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The Women’s Bar Association of the State of New York (WBASNY) is the professional membership organization of choice for more than 3,500 attorneys throughout New York State and the largest statewide women’s bar association in the country.  For over four decades, WBASNY has been a singularly important resource for women lawyers, with professional networking, continuing legal education programming, leadership training, and advocacy for the rights of women, children, and families.  Through involvement with WBASNY’s 20 regional chapters and its 40-plus substantive law committees, WBASNY’s members collaborate with one another on a variety of issues and perform public and community service, in furtherance of its mission to promote the advancement of the status of women in society and women in the legal profession; to promote the fair and equal administration of justice; and to act as a unified voice for its members with respect to issues of statewide, national and international significance to women generally and women attorneys in particular. WBASNY holds United Nations NGO status with the U.N.’s Department of Public Information, and Special Consultative status in association with the U.N. Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). WBASNY is also a founding member of the National Conference of Women’s Bar Associations.