PUTNAM VALLEY, N.Y.—October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and Assemblyman Matt Slater, Sen. Rob Rolison and representatives from the Putnam Northern Westchester Women’s Resource Center gathered recently in Putnam Valley to urge passage of legislation that would allow domestic violence shelters to extend survivors’ stays by up to 90 days.
The bill, sponsored by Slater in the Assembly and Rolison in the Senate, seeks to address a shortage of emergency housing across New York state. In 2023, thousands of shelter and housing requests from domestic violence survivors went unmet due to limited space and funding.
The lawmakers said the proposal would help survivors remain safely housed while they secure stable housing and support services. Slater and Rolison have sent a joint letter to Gov. Kathy Hochul requesting that the measure be included in her next executive budget.
PNWWRC Executive Director Piaget Solpiaget said while October is a time for awareness, the fight to protect and support victims is an everyday fight.
“We are reminded that this issue is not confined to homes behind closed doors. Domestic violence is a public health crisis that demands change and persistent action,” he said. “This month, we wear purple, not just to raise awareness to the issue, but to demand change, to say survivors deserve safety for more than just a moment. They deserve safety for a lifetime.”
He added that the legislation is designed to give domestic violence survivors more time in shelters, recognizing that recovery cannot happen overnight and requires proper support and resources.
“It acknowledges the fact that healing does not occur in a vacuum,” he said. “Healing requires time, it requires support, and it requires resources, and we champion this legislation.”
He praised his staff for their tireless work .
“Your compassion, your resilience and your refusal to give up on survivors are what makes transformation possible. This bill is also for you so that your efforts are not undermined by timeliness that don't reflect the reality of trauma recovery,” he said. “When we give survivors more time, we give advocates the chance to do what they do best, which is help people rebuild their lives.”
Solpiaget called on men to not be silent.
“Fathers, brothers, colleagues, friends, partners. We need you. We need you to speak up,” he said. “We need you to model respectful behavior. We need you to mentor our young boys to stand beside us and say that love should never hurt ending domestic violence is not a women's issue. It's a human issue, and together, we are all responsible to make an active, positive change.”
This legislation, Solpiaget said, is more than just policy.
“We are ensuring that survivors are not revictimized by systems that move too quickly and care too little. Together, we can create a future where homes are safe, families are stable and peace is possible.”
Slater said he was proud to back the legislation and work with others who see its value and continue to support victims. He and his wife, Kellie, who serves on the board of directors at PNWWRC, often discuss the issue at home, and he said, “this legislation is about time and hope.”
He added that it’s wrong to limit the time survivors have to recover and rebuild their lives.
“If you think about the fact that we are putting a stopwatch on helping a victim of domestic violence, telling them they only have a certain amount of time—you only get a certain amount of time to get better, certain amount of time to get back on your feet, a certain amount of time to get your kids in a good situation. That's not right.”
Because the current system doesn’t give domestic violence survivors enough time to fully recover, the bill would establish a waiver program allowing extended stays in shelters when needed.
“This is just common sense,” Slater said. “Common sense for the victim, common sense for the system, and it's going to save lives.”
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