Cultural Responsiveness in Domestic Violence Services

Cultural Responsiveness in Domestic Violence Services

In honor of Domestic Violence Month, the Government Law Center and Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Albany Law School and community partners co-hosted “Cultural Responsiveness in Domestic Violence Services.” Panelists discussed the role of culture in violence prevention, how victims experience abuse in culturally specific ways, and strategies to practice cultural responsiveness and cultural humility in domestic violence services.

Click to watch on YouTube.

Participants:
Norina Melita, Esq., as emcee
Prof. Jaya Connors, Director of the Field Placement Clinic at Albany Law School, former Director of the Family Violence Litigation Clinic
Somaia Sharif Zada, Afghan attorney refugee, part of the Unified Court System’s Judges for Career Opportunities for Refugees (J-COR) program
Demekia Santana, Advocate and Assistant Program Director, Catholic Charities of Fulton & Montgomery Counties, Montgomery County Domestic Violence & Crime Victim Services
Anna Breitegger ’24, J.D. Candidate and Co-Chair of the Women’s Law Caucus at Albany Law School
Hon. Lisa M. Fisher, Justice of the Appellate Division, Third Department, as moderator
Elizabeth Cronin, Esq., Director of the NYS Office for Victim Services
Lindsey Crusan-Muse, Director of St. Peter’s Crime Victim Services for St. Peter’s Health Partners
Remla Parthasarathy, Managing Attorney for Crime Victims at Empire Justice Center and Project Leader for the Crime Victims Legal Network
William Rivera, Crisis Intervention Director for Opportunities for Otsego, as moderator
Keri Boedigheimer, Rensselaer County Domestic Violence Courts Resource Coordinator
Hon. Esther M. Morgenstern, Justice of the Supreme Court, Kings County, National Mentor Court for IDV
Hon. Brian D. Burns, Justice of the Supreme Court, Otsego County IDV
Hon. Rebecca A. Slezak, Justice of the Supreme Court, Montgomery County IDV, as moderator

Partners/Presented By:
Montgomery County Bar Association
Women’s Leadership Initiative at Albany Law School
Women’s Law Caucus at Albany Law School
Government Law Center at Albany Law School
Third Judicial District Gender Fairness Committee
Fourth Judicial District Gender Fairness Committee
National Association of Women Judges, New York Chapter
New York State Bar Association, Women in Law Section
The Capital District Women’s Bar Association
Capital District Black and Hispanic Bar Association
Albany County Bar Association
Adirondack Women’s Bar Association
Schenectady County Bar Association
Legal Aid Society of Northeastern New York
The Legal Project
Vella Carbone & Vinson, LLP
Copps DiPaola Silverman, PLLC

Government Law Center at Albany Law School

October 20, 2023