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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Joshell Lawrence, Project DOT Assistant Coordinator at New York City Alliance Against Sexual Assault
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Joshell Lawrence, a senior at CUNY Baruch College and youth assistant coordinator for Project DOT, testified about the importance of funding for youth-focused sexual violence prevention programs. She highlighted the impact of Project DOT, a program developed by the New York City Alliance Against Sexual Assault, and requested an increase in funding from $100,000 to $125,000 to expand the program's reach.
- Project DOT has been serving as a vital resource for young people facing barriers to accessing comprehensive sexual violence prevention education and leadership opportunities since 2014.
- Lawrence shared her personal experience as a beneficiary of Project DOT, emphasizing how it changed her understanding of healthy relationships and consent.
- She presented statistics on the high rates of sexual violence among youth, particularly affecting LGBTQ+ and minority communities, to underscore the urgent need for such programs.
Joshell Lawrence
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Good afternoon, chair Stevens and community members.
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Thank you for the opportunity to testify before you today on the critical need for continued and enhanced funding for programs that support children and youth across our city.
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My name is Jocelyn Lawrence and I am a senior at CUNY Baruch College and I am also a youth assistant coordinator at Project DOT, a youth focused sexual violence prevention and leadership program developed by the New York City Alliance Against Sexual Assault, the Alliance.
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The Alliance's mission is to prevent sexual violence and reduce the harm it causes through education, prevention programming, and the pursuit of legal and policy change.
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Project is a key pillar of this mission and is funded by the city council through the Young Women's Initiative.
6:54:43
We are asking for an enhancement from a hundred thousand dollars to a hundred and $25,000 to expand our program's reach.
6:54:49
Project DOT has served as a vital resource for young people who often face systemic barriers to accessing comprehensive sexual violence prevention education and leadership opportunities since 2014.
6:55:01
I'm here today advocating not only as a coordinator of the program, but also as a young person who was once a beneficiary of Project Dot.
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I joined Project Dot during my senior year of high school as a youth participant in 2020.
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Project Dot didn't just change my world view, it opened me up to a new understanding of myself and the systems that shaped my daily life.
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At the time, I didn't fully grasp what a healthy versus unhealthy relationship looked like or understand the importance of consent.
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Yet, Project Dot provided me with the knowledge as well as it gave me and so many others a voice conversations we were often left out of.
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The need for programs like Project Jot is urgent.
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Young people continue to face high rates of sexual violence and harassment.
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Nationally, one in nine girls and one in twenty boys experienced sexual violence before the age of 18.
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40 nine percent of LGBTQ plus youth ages 13 to 18 report experiencing some form of sexual violence with rates even higher among black and indigenous youth.
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These statistics unfortunately prove that programs like Project DOT are essential to the safety, well-being, and support of youth.
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To conclude, we are seeking an enhancement of our funding to a hundred and $25,000 to expand our program's reach and impact.
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Thank you for your time and for your commitment to ensuring the well-being and safety of New York City's children and youth.