For Immediate Release
Contact: Deanne Grimaldi , Director of Development & Communications, 518-860-6629
May 8, 2020
MEDIA ADVISORY
Legal Aid Society of Northeastern New York to Hold Virtual
Town Hall: Safe at Home
Topics Include the Coronavirus and Domestic Violence
(Albany, N.Y.) – Today, Friday, May 8, 2020 at 3:00 p.m . the Legal Aid Society of Northeastern New York ’s (LASNNY) will hold another Virtual Town Hall to discuss the coronavirus (COVID-19) and how it’s affecting domestic violence cases in New York State. Media is invited to listen in. As communities shut down to flatten the COVID-19 curve, stakes for domestic violence survivors multiplied because victims are required to stay at home with their abusers. According to Governor Cuomo, reports of domestic violence in the state rose 15% in March, and 30% in April. Unemployment, social distancing, and the closure of churches, schools, and community centers effectively shut survivors in with their abusers and closed traditional
opportunities for escape, safety, and support. This isolation is compounded in rural communities where inadequate public transportation and lack of internet access is common. Access to the court system is a crucial part of a survivor’s safety plan and protection from abuse. Though this access is limited to “essential matters,” as a result of COVID-19, many survivors are unaware that the Courts remain open and available to
assist them.
WHO: Victoria Esposito, Esq, Moderator
Susan Gagnon, Esq. Managing Attorney, based in LASNNY’s Plattsburgh Office
Angela Smith, Catholic Charities of Delaware, Otsego, and Schoharie Counties
WHAT: As part of an ongoing series, LASNNY is hosting a Virtual Town Hall: Safe At Home
WHERE: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/1370164518112260619
Registration is free, Participants may email questions to townhall@lasnny.org
WHEN: Friday, May 8, 2020 at 3:00 p.m.
Media will not be able to ask questions during the town hall, but Susan Gagnon, Esq. Managing Attorney, is also available for additional interviews outside the town hall for additional insights, and background on the kinds of DV cases the Society is seeing right now. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email, and a call in number, containing information about joining the webinar. More information can be found at the Facebook
event page and website .
To learn more about the Legal Aid Society of Northeastern New York, please log onto the website at www.lasnny.org or find them on Facebook .
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About The Legal Aid Society of Northeastern New York . The Legal Aid Society of Northeastern New York provides effective, free civil legal services and education to and advocacy for people with low income or other barriers to accessing the legal system.
We secure basic needs, protect and preserve legal rights, provide equal access to justice, and seek fairness and dignity for our clients. We have 150 staff in five offices, serving 16 counties from the Catskills to the Canadian border.
