SERVING NEW YORKS LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, TRANSGENDER, QUEER & HIV-AFFECTED COMMUNITIES Mission of the Anti-Violence Project The New York City Anti-Violence Project is dedicated to eliminating hate violence, sexual assault, stalking, and domestic violence in lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and HIV-affected communities through counseling, advocacy, organizing, and public education. History of the Anti-Violence Project The New York City Anti-Violence Project was founded in 1980 in reaction to neighborhood incidents of anti-LGBT violence and the failure of the criminal legal system to respond.AVP remained an all-volunteer organization until 1984 when the first full-time Executive Director was hired. With the addition of full-time staff, AVP was able to broaden its services to provide professional counseling to victims and survivors of hate violence. AVP also began expanding our work beyond bias-motivated violence to include services for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and HIV-related violence.Today, AVP provides free and confidential assistance to thousands of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and HIV-affected ( LGBTQH ) people each year from all five boroughs of New York City. The organization maintains a 24- hour, Spanish/English bilingual hotline staffed by professional counselors and trained volunteers providing professional and peer support counseling, as well as advocacy with police, courts, and social service agencies.AVP works with the larger community through efforts to educate the public about violence within and against our communities and to reform government policies and practices affecting LGBTQH and other survivors of violence. AVP works to educate law enforcement, health care professionals, school-based staff, and social service agency personnel on violence issues impacting our communities. By calling attention to discriminatory and re-victimizing responses, AVP works to hold law enforcement and social service agencies accountable to their obligation for a fair and just treatment of LGBTQH people.Additionally, AVP tracks and documents anti-LGBTQH incidents and domestic violence and uses this information to educate our own communities about safe dating, safe cruising, recognizing the signs of abuse, and much more. AVP works to change public attitudes that encourage and condone hate-motivated violence, and to promote public policies designed to deter such violence.