A state audit has found that New York’s domestic violence hotline failed to consistently connect callers with help and experienced problems translating messages from non-English speakers.
State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli released the audit Wednesday, identifying shortcomings in the Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence’s oversight of the confidential hotline, which is operated by a private contractor.
“When a victim reaches out to the state’s domestic violence hotline, they expect someone to be on the other end to help,” DiNapoli said. “It can be a life-or-death situation, which is why these lapses are so troubling.”
The audit examined the hotline’s performance between December 2024 and June 2025. Auditors placed 25 test phone calls and sent 20 text messages and 20 web-based messages.
According to the report, 20% of the test calls never reached a representative. Among text messages, 15% received no response, while 30% were answered more than 30 seconds after they were received, exceeding the response time required under the state’s contract with the service provider.
A review of 60 days of hotline records found that 170 of 2,814 calls, or about 6%, were not connected.
The audit also found issues with language translation. Auditors submitted messages in six languages other than English and determined that 25% were either mistranslated or not translated at all.
Beyond the hotline, the audit identified several other concerns with the Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence.
Auditors found the state’s Domestic Violence Advisory Council met the minimum number of meetings required each year but failed to fulfill its responsibility to make recommendations to the governor and Legislature on domestic violence policy. Attendance was also inconsistent, with only four of the council’s 17 members attending every meeting.
The report also found the agency did not adequately monitor recipients of Enough is Enough grants, which help colleges prevent and respond to sexual assault and dating violence. Auditors said the agency accepted grant reports without verifying whether recipients complied with contract requirements or achieved program goals.
Additional findings showed the office had not fully implemented required gender-based violence policies across state agencies and could improve the accuracy and timeliness of data published on its statewide domestic violence dashboard.
The audit includes several recommendations, including strengthening oversight of hotline operations and grant recipients, improving compliance by state agencies, expanding domestic violence prevention programs for senior centers, enhancing the role of the Domestic Violence Advisory Council, and improving statewide data reporting.
The Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence agreed with most of the recommendations and told auditors it has already begun taking steps to address the issues, including increasing oversight of grant recipients.
The audit is part of a broader series of reviews by the State Comptroller’s Office examining agencies responsible for domestic violence awareness, prevention and victim services across New York.
