The Honorable Betsy Gotbaum, Public Advocate for the City of New York releases findings of a major study examining New York City agencies dealing with domestic violence.

The report entitled Opening the Door is presented in response to another report released thirteen years earlier titled Behind Closed Doors: The City's Response to Family Violence, an in-depth look at the impact of domestic violence on victims and their children commissioned by then-Manhattan-Borough-President Ruth Messinger and former City Council Member Ronnie Eldridge.

Opening the Door evaluates progress made by New York City agencies thirteen years later, identifies what still needs to be done and addresses many of the challenges that continue to exist.

A panel of speakers discuss the findings of the report and take into consideration the relationship between domestic violence and child abuse.

The event is introduced by David Birdsell, Interim Dean of the School of Public Affairs at Baruch College. Speakers and panelists include: the Honorable Betsy Gotbaum, Public Advocate for the City of New York; the Honorable Ronnie Eldridge, former City Councilmember; Alisa del Tufo, Co-Executive Director of CONNECT, Inc.; Rosana Rodriguez, member of the Voices of Women Organizing Project; Laurel Eisner, Executive Director for Sanctuary for Families; and Lisa Poris, Policy Research Associate, Office of the New York City Public Advocate.

A question and answer session follows.

The event takes place January 27, 2006 in the William and Anita Newman Conference Center at Baruch College.