Community Alerts

Congratulations and thank you! Today Congress passed S. 47, a reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), which is our nation's response to domestic and sexual violence. For the first time ever, this law will explicitly include LGBT survivors of violence. This bill represents two years of continuous work of AVP's National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs (NCAVP) and is a huge victory for not just survivors of violence but also all LGBT communities.

AVP has learned of an anti-gay hate violence incident that occurred on Monday, January 18th, on a 2 subway train in Manhattan. According to the New York Daily News, Urena Morel Frankelly, age 23, and his partner had their picture taken by two women which prompted a verbal altercation. Six people then attacked Frankelly, and witnesses report that anti-gay slurs were used during the altercation.

AVP is investigating a homicide that occurred in Elmhurst, Queens this weekend as possibly being anti-gay hate violence or intimate partner violence-motivated. At this time, however, no formal motive has yet been determined. Joseph Benzinger, age 54, was found dead in a room at the Crown Motor Inn on Queens Boulevard. According to multiple media sources, the medical examiner concluded Benzinger had been strangled to death. Police are actively investigating Benzinger's death as a homicide.

AVP is investigating a possible intimate partner violence or dating or pick up homicide that occurred in the Hamilton Heights neighborhood of Manhattan. According to multiple news sources, Charles Romo, age 48, was found dead by his housekeeper on Monday morning, January 28. He had been beaten and bound and was wearing only underwear when the body was discovered. Today's New York Post Police Blotter states that the police are looking into the possibility that one of the suspects was an intimate partner of the victim.

AVP is investigating a possible anti-gay homicide that occurred in Jackson Heights, Queens this past weekend, however no formal motive has yet been determined. David Rangel, age 53, was found dead in his apartment on Saturday, January 26. According to an article in New York Daily News, medical examiners determined that Rangel had been choked to death. The article states that the police are investigating Rangel's death as a homicide and that it is believed that he may have met his assailant online.