Perhaps you happened to overhear a neighbor’s loud argument. And perhaps that fight got physical. Many New Yorkers might not know what to do, or be afraid to get involved.
But with a new campaign, the city is asking New Yorkers to call 911 when they suspect domestic violence.
Council Speaker Christine Quinn and Police Commissioner Ray Kelly announced a new program today, “Don’t Mind Your Own Business,” encouraging New Yorkers to report domestic abuse.
Domestic abuse statistics remain about level, Kelly said, but police know that many more go unreported.
In nearly a quarter – 23 percent – of domestic violence homicides, police had never before been called to the home, he said.
And in a city study, 60 percent of people knew a victim of domestic violence, but half that number, 30 percent, said they would knew where to direct them for help.
“Silence is an accomplice to the crime of domestic violence,” Kelly said.
The campaign, which began yesterday, includes signs asking New Yorkers to report domestic violence. The signs will be up soon at bus shelters and newsstands.
The signs are in Spanish and Russian, which Kelly said reflects the languages in neighborhoods where they receive the most calls.
Neighborhoods most impacted by domestic abuse include Parkchester in the Bronx and East Flatbush and Bedford Stuyvesant in Brooklyn, officials said.
Many victims do not call police because they are scared, ashamed or want to protect the family member, officials said.
