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Victims Assistance

Restoring Dignity - Advocating for Justice - Helping to Heal

At Victims Assistance Services, it is our belief that through education, advocacy, and the raising of public awareness, we can over time alter the cultural context that allows interpersonal violence to flourish, mitigate the shame-inducing stigma of victimization, and provide former victims the opportunity to regain a sense of dignity and wholeness.

Victims Assistance Services (VAS) provides free, comprehensive and compassionate services to crime victims and their families, friends and loved ones. VAS also works to end violence through community action, public policy and culture change, and through prevention education programs in schools and in other community venues.

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Who is eligible for VAS services?

Any adult, teen or child affected, directly or indirectly, by domestic or dating violence, rape or sexual assault, stalking, homicide or DWI, elder abuse, child abuse, physical assault, bullying (including cyber-bullying), harassment and hate crimes, sex and/or labor trafficking, physical assault, burglary, identity theft, and other crimes.

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Services Include:

  • 24-hour Emergency Hotline
  • Crisis Intervention
  • Counseling
  • Specialized Trauma Therapies
  • Safety Planning
  • Support and Therapy Groups
  • Accompaniment to Hospital Emergency Rooms
  • SANE (Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner) Forensic Exams
  • Accompaniment and Advocacy throughout the criminal justice process from initial police report until Victim Impact Statement and VINE registration (in the event of a successful prosecution)
  • Assistance obtaining protective orders and accessing shelter
  • Home visits to vulnerable elders
  • Prevention Education presentations
  • Assistance completing OVS (NYS Office for Victim Services) applications and requests for Emergency OVS awards (for HIV prophylactic medications)
  • Assistance with crime scene clean-up
  • Help with funeral expenses
  • Referrals to specialized legal assistance through partner agencies for victims of domestic and/or sexual violence and undocumented crime victims
  • Emergency food and travel vouchers and facilitated referrals from our Hope Chest Program

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If you or someone you know has been the victim of a crime, call Victims Assistance Services…

NEW TOLL-FREE HOTLINE NUMBER: (855) 827-2255

All services are free and confidential.
Close to half of our staff is Spanish speaking and culturally informed

VAS collaborates closely with sister agencies throughout the county, including:

The Hispanic Resource Center
Hope’s Door Domestic Violence Shelter
Pace Women’s Justice Center
The Loft.

Victim Assistance Service Advocates are also available at the Family Justice Center, the Yonkers Family Court, and through the Children’s Advocacy Center.

Contact Information

Director: Karel Amaranth 

Email:  [email protected]

LOCAL HOTLINE NUMBER:  (914) 345-9111
MAIN OFFICE:  (914) 345-3113
NEW TOLL-FREE HOTLINE NUMBER:  (855) 827-2255