[Updated Wednesday, October 16, 2024] – Last week, we shared a statement that intended to express solidarity to Palestinian people and underscore that our free hotline, counseling, and legal services are welcoming and accessible to Arab and Palestinian LGBTQ+ people who call New York home.
Our allies in the progressive Jewish community have helped us recognize where we lacked nuance in addressing the complexities of government actions during war and their effects on civilians. AVP stands firmly against all forms of violence and acknowledges the profound grief for both Israelis and Palestinians. We regret that our previous statement has caused harm to LGBTQ+ Jewish New Yorkers who expressed feeling unwelcome at AVP. We regret that our previous silence on this issue harmed LGBTQ+ Arab and Palestinian New Yorkers. We remain committed to providing all of our community members in crisis with the same high level of empathy and support from our staff and volunteers. AVP recognizes that the violence of October 7, 2023 caused immeasurable grief and sadness for Jewish community members, and by releasing a statement on this day AVP seemed to disregard and erase that pain.
Over the past year, we have gotten questions from LGBTQ+ Arabs who felt wary of accessing services at AVP because of our silence about the ongoing genocide. We had many internal conversations about what it means to be “anti-violence” in this moment, led by a majority QTBIPOC staff and supported by our Jewish and Arab colleagues with whom we collaborate closely on hate violence prevention work in New York City. Those conversations led to the creation of our statement, which the staff posted without the knowledge or approval of the AVP Board.In AVP’s anti-violence practice, we are steadfastly anti-genocide alongside the work we do to support individual survivors of violence. We will continue to critique violence enacted by the state and institutions – whether they be police forces or armies – and work to reduce these harms on the LGBTQ+ New Yorkers who ask for our support. The futures of our communities are all intertwined and violence against any group makes others less safe. We can hold these complexities, and we invite our extended communities to do the same.
To learn more about the statement’s methodology, inspirations, and the educational resources used, please visit our FAQ & Resources Page.
Anti-Violence is Anti-Genocide.
As an organization dedicated to supporting and advocating with LGBTQ+ survivors of violence, the New York City Anti-Violence Project is deeply devastated by the ongoing genocide and human rights violations in Gaza and the Palestinian occupied territory.
To our Arab LGBTQ+ siblings and allies, we want you to know that we are here for you [updated 10-16-24] and we have heard your questions about whether you will be supported at AVP. Our doors remain open and accessible to ALL LGBTQ+ survivors and our staff and volunteers offer care and resources to ensure you have a safe space where your voices are heard and your needs are met. [updated 10-16-24] We affirm our support for and welcome to our LGBTQ+ Jewish siblings who seek support through AVP’s hotline, counseling, and legal services and will continue to provide identity-affirming support and empathy to all community members.
We at AVP stand in solidarity with all the Palestinian people in the United States and abroad, and with the people of Lebanon who are experiencing devastating escalating violence. Absolutely no one should face violence, persecution, or discrimination, based on their identity, nationality, or where they live. [updated 10-16-24] State and institutional violence impacts people trying to survive in their homes no matter what their religious, cultural, or political affiliations are, and we condemn the violence of all institutional forces.
AVP has, for 44 years and counting, held and channeled the grief and rage of LGBTQ+ survivors – especially QTBIPOC – of profound harm to push systemic change. Whether through counseling and advocacy services, through base building and community organizing, through comprehensive legal supports, or through coalition building, reporting and policy advocacy initiatives, AVP has sought to honor its role as mindful witness and champion of a just and kind world. We are here to hold and honor the anguish of our relatives grieving the impossible horrors of genocide in Palestine and beyond In the tradition of restorative, lasting, equitable care and healing, we acknowledge that the histories of systemic brutality have disproportionately harmed our Arab relatives, and this must be named and seen to be honestly and accountably addressed. As an organization dedicated to combating violence in all forms, we cannot move through the work without acknowledging the way war impacts the communities we at AVP serve.
[Deletion 10-16-24**] October 7, 2024, marks one year since the escalation of this mass destruction and displacement of native Palestinians from their land. We acknowledge that the suffering of the Palestinian people has its roots in the Nakba of 1948, when displacement first began, [updated 10-16-24] and that this is the first time that AVP is making this acknowledgment. For decades, Palestinians have endured ongoing apartheid, systemic oppression, forced displacement, and a denial of basic human rights, and as the largest LGBTQ+ anti-violence organization in the United States, we stand in solidarity with Palestine.
For our community members who are on the streets standing for Palestinian Liberation, we commend you for continuing to show up for a free Palestine and want to offer you these tips to stay safe during direct action.
**AVP recognizes that this statement is factually inaccurate.
To learn more about the statement’s methodology, inspirations, and the educational resources used, please visit our FAQ & Resources Page.