Speaker Quinn, Council Members and the Center for Anti-Violence Education will teach violence prevention strategies and share tips to keep New Yorkers safe

New York, NY- Following a string of hate crimes against LGBT New Yorkers on Manhattan’s West Side, Speaker Christine C. Quinn and the City Council LGBT Caucus today announced they will host a series of free self-defense trainings across the City.

The trainings will empower New Yorkers by teaching violence prevention strategies and safety tips to the LGBT community. The kick-off class, led by the Center for Anti-Violence Prevention, will be held on Saturday, June 8th in Room 101 of the LGBT Center at 4:00 PM. An additional evening class has been scheduled for Wednesday, June 8th at the Hudson Guild Elliot Center at 7:00 PM.

Participants should reserve their space by calling (212) 788-5613 or by emailing events@council.nyc.gov.

“No one should be made to feel unsafe because who they are or who they love,” said Speaker Christine C. Quinn. “The spate of bias attacks against LGBT New Yorkers in recent weeks is unacceptable and must end now. Our free self-defense classes will teach violence prevention strategies to New Yorkers and will provide the community with the tools they need to stay safe.”

“These classes will empower men and women who might otherwise feel helpless at time when our City is experiencing an increase in attacks against our LGBT brothers and sisters,” said Council Member Jimmy Van Bramer. “No one should be persecuted or attacked for who they are or who they perceive to be. By giving New York City’s LGBT community self-defense training we are providing the necessary tools to help every New Yorker feel safe within their own neighborhood. Together as a community – unified as one – we will continue to take a stand against hate crimes in a City that is known for equality, acceptance and diversity.”

“Targeting individuals because of their actual or perceived sexual orientation is not only a crime but it is an unconscionable and inhumane act,” said Council Member Rosie Mendez. “Accordingly, I commend the Speaker and my colleagues for pulling together this important series of self-defense classes with specific focus on the LGBT community. The teaching of time-tested functional and proactive self-defense techniques will help to empower LGBT New Yorkers and make our streets safer. In the interim, I continue to hope that each of us will take these recent stories to heart and—individually and collectively—search our hearts to find the compassion, understanding and respect for others that resides within us all.”

“As we approach Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Pride Month, it is important that LGBT New Yorkers stay safe while proudly and openly celebrating who they are,” said Council Member Daniel Dromm. “As an openly-gay elected official representing a district with one of the highest LGBT populations in the city, I urge everyone in the community to attend these potentially life-saving self-defense trainings.”

“The LGBTQ community has suffered from bigotry and hate crimes for too long, yet we are resilient, and we are made even stronger by the ties that hold us together,” said Tracy Hobson, Executive Director of the Center for Anti-Violence Education. “The Center for Anti-Violence Education stands ready to help the community build skills to challenge, prevent and heal from violence in all its forms.”

Additional self-defense classes in Brooklyn and Queens will be announced in coming weeks.

The number of reported hate crimes against LGBT New Yorkers has doubled since 2012. At Speaker Quinn’s request, the NYPD has increased police presence in the areas where these incidents occurred. Specifically, the NYPD has:

Assembled an Incident Command Post on 8th Avenue between West 14th and West 15th Streets from Thursdays through Mondays. The command post will periodically move to different locations within the 6th precinct.
Deployed 13 additional Critical Response Vehicles with a total of 26 additional Officers throughout the 6th Police Precinct to deter hate crimes
Increased personnel to existing Midtown South Impact Zones from Thursday through Sunday each week.
Deployed additional anti-crime plainclothes unit throughout the 6th precinct.
Assigned additional mounted units to the Christopher Street area from Friday through Sunday, each week.

These deployments will continue at least through the end of June and the culmination of LGBT Pride Month.

Speaker Quinn and Council Members also announced they will hold a Community Safety Forum in partnership with the New York City Anti-Violence Project later this month. The Community Safety Forum will provide New Yorkers with an opportunity to discuss the recent attacks and will connect participants with counseling and mental health services.

“The recent rash of hate violence against the LGBT community has motivated people to want to protect themselves and take care of each other,” said Glennda Testone, Executive Director of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center. “We’re proud to work with the Center for Anti-Violence Educations on the kick-off self-defense class at the LGBT Center to help our community feel strong and empowered.”

Earlier this year, Speaker Quinn and Chancellor Dennis M. Walcott announced a citywide anti-hate crime initiative in New York City public schools. Building on the work of the City Council and Department of Education’s Respect for All anti-bullying initiative, the initiative will incorporate age-appropriate lessons focused on respecting diversity, treating others with dignity, and helping students understand the impact of hate-motivated speech and action into end-of-year school assemblies, programs, and curricula.

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