October has arrived, and with it, a renewed focus on domestic violence awareness and the evolving policies, programs, and legal reforms aimed at supporting survivors on both sides of the Atlantic. In New York State, officials have redoubled their commitment to supporting victims and strengthening the systems designed to protect them, while in Scotland, lawmakers have unanimously passed groundbreaking legislation to review deaths linked to domestic abuse. These developments come as national and local leaders in the United States confront new federal rules that could restrict access to vital services for some of the most vulnerable survivors.
New York’s latest efforts coincide with Domestic Violence Awareness Month, recognized throughout October. According to the Office of Victims Services Director Bea Hanson, "Domestic Violence Awareness Month reminds us that survivors deserve safety, services, and support without barriers." This sentiment is reflected in the state’s Fiscal Year 2026 budget, which earmarks $13 million for all 52 rape crisis centers across New York, each certified by the Department of Health. The budget also allocates $3.8 million to increase the cap for funeral expenses for homicide victims from $6,000 to $12,000—a move that aims to offer greater relief to families during their most difficult moments.
Further, more than $3.3 million has been set aside to boost reimbursement rates for forensic exams and to expand virtual forensic exam services in underserved areas, ensuring that survivors in every corner of the state have access to critical care and evidence collection. Governor Kathy Hochul, who has made supporting survivors one of her top priorities, recently signed a new law to strengthen the state’s discovery laws. This measure is designed to protect victims and survivors of domestic violence while holding abusers accountable to the fullest extent possible.
These investments build on Governor Hochul’s previous commitments, including a record $35 million state investment in 2024 to enhance the public safety response to intimate partner abuse and domestic violence. The governor’s office has repeatedly emphasized that these efforts are about more than just funding—they represent an ongoing dedication to expanding supportive resources and improving outcomes for victims.
Yet, even as New York State moves forward, new challenges have emerged on the federal level. On October 7, 2025, New York Attorney General Letitia James led a coalition of 21 attorneys general in a lawsuit seeking to block a new U.S. Department of Justice rule set to take effect on October 31. The rule would bar states from using federal funds to provide services to survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and other violent crimes who cannot immediately prove their immigration status. According to James, "Sexual assault and domestic violence survivors turn to our courts for safety and protection. They should never be turned away because of who they are or where they come from."
The coalition’s lawsuit argues that these restrictions violate the U.S. Constitution’s spending clause by attaching ambiguous and retroactive conditions to grants that, in some cases, were awarded years ago. They also contend that the Department of Justice failed to provide an adequate explanation for reversing decades of policy, thereby disregarding the reliance interests of states and service providers and failing to consider the devastating harm to survivors. The new rule, known as the "Legal Services Condition," would apply not only to future grants but also retroactively, potentially disrupting long-established victim services programs.
For many survivors, the requirement to immediately produce legal documentation proving immigration status is simply unworkable. As James and advocates have pointed out, people fleeing abusive households often do not have their identification documents—sometimes because abusers deliberately withhold them as a means of control. As Pamela Greinke, executive director of Hope and Resilience Long Island, put it, "Requiring survivors to prove their legal status can be an impossible task for many victims of domestic abuse, sexual assault and human trafficking because abusers often take personal identification documents as a means to control the victim. With this policy, victims would not be able to access the services that were put in place to protect them."
These federal funds, distributed through the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA), and Byrne Justice Assistance Grants, support a wide range of services including legal representation, housing assistance, compensation for medical bills, and more. In 2024 alone, over one million New Yorkers received services funded by VOCA or VAWA—more than in any other category of victim support. Between 2018 and 2022, at least 613 New Yorkers lost their lives to domestic violence, underscoring the urgency of maintaining robust support systems.
Local leaders are also taking action. Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine recently signed an executive order establishing the Suffolk County Alliance Against Domestic Violence, a new initiative designed to enhance coordination among government agencies and nonprofit service providers. "Suffolk County remains committed to protecting our most vulnerable residents and ensuring that every person feels safe in their own home," Romaine said. The Alliance will implement real-time data sharing between law enforcement and service providers, countywide prevention and recovery programs, public awareness campaigns, and quarterly progress meetings. In 2024, more than 27,000 domestic incidents were reported in Suffolk County, with over 280,000 incidents reported over the past decade—a sobering reminder of the scale of the problem.
Meanwhile, in Scotland, the fight against domestic abuse has taken a significant step forward with the passage of the Criminal Justice Modernisation and Abusive Domestic Behaviour Reviews (Scotland) Bill. Unanimously approved by the Scottish Parliament on October 7, 2025, the new law establishes an independent panel to review selected homicide or suicide cases linked to domestic abuse. Reviews are expected to begin in spring 2026 and will focus on cases where public authorities or voluntary organizations were, or could have been, involved in the circumstances leading up to a death where abuse was known or suspected.
The legislation also introduces a suite of modernization measures, including allowing people to attend court via video call—a practice that became commonplace during the pandemic and is now being made permanent. The bill covers cases where an abuser has killed their partner or ex-partner, as well as instances where an abused person has killed their abuser. Justice Secretary Angela Constance described the bill as creating a "gold standard" for reviews into domestic homicide and suicide, stating, "Any death in connection with domestic abuse is one too many." She emphasized that while legislation alone cannot solve the issue, the creation of a review model will help "learn lessons, improve services and better protect victims."
Victim Support Scotland welcomed both parts of the bill, with Carol Eden, the charity’s head of communications and external affairs, noting, "Much of what is being put into legislation reflects what has been in practice for several years now as a result of Covid. Victims and witnesses have become accustomed to and expect the level of flexibility this offers, and to not make permanent these powers would be a retrograde step. Equally, Victim Support Scotland is supportive of legislation to underpin a domestic homicide and suicide review model to help to develop a better understanding of how domestic abuse impacts communities in Scotland."
As October shines a spotlight on domestic violence, New York and Scotland are demonstrating that change is possible—through investment, innovation, and a willingness to challenge old assumptions. The path ahead may be fraught with obstacles, but the resolve to protect survivors and prevent further tragedy remains stronger than ever.
