Respect and Responsibility is a key component of a larger Interrupting Violence at Home initiative, which was launched in 2018 and focuses on addressing intergenerational cycles of abuse through non-mandated community-based programming for people who cause harm. It is one of the first programs of its kind in the country and reflects the culmination of years of work led by ENDGBV, with City agencies, survivors, experts, and advocates and its partner agencies to develop new pathways to hold harm doers accountable. Working with people who cause harm is a critical component in New York City’s efforts to interrupt intimate partner violence, support survivors, and foster equitable, peaceful, and consent-driven relationships and communities. Recognizing the need for diverse and effective programming for this population, in 2018, the City launched the Interrupting Violence at Home initiative to develop evidence-based and trauma-responsive intervention models for people who cause harm created to address abusive behavior and reduce future abuse in intimate partner relationships. A central part of this Initiative is the non-mandated, community-based programming for people causing harm in their relationships – the Respect and Responsibility program. Respect and Responsibility will be administered by the Mayor’s Office to End Domestic and Gender-Based Violence (ENDGBV) in partnership with the New York City Department of Social Services/Human Resources Administration (DSS/HRA).
