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We’re Expanding Statewide to Become The Alliance Against Sexual Violence
For more than 25 years, The Alliance has worked alongside rape crisis programs and partners in healthcare, education, government, law enforcement, and culturally specific organizations to strengthen New York City’s response to sexual violence.
Founded in 1999 by a coalition of rape crisis programs, The Alliance was created because no single organization could address the challenges facing survivors alone. Together, those programs built a stronger collective voice for survivors, strengthened systems, and advanced a more coordinated response to sexual violence in New York City, while working to prevent it from happening in the first place.
Last year, we learned that our proposal to become New York State’s sexual violence coalition had been successful. Since then, our team has been working hard behind the scenes to expand statewide. Today, we are honored to reintroduce ourselves officially as The Alliance Against Sexual Violence.
As New York State’s sexual violence coalition, The Alliance will represent and support the 54 rape crisis programs across the state, along with the advocates, healthcare and legal professionals, educators, government partners, and community-based and culturally specific organizations who make up this field.
Every survivor deserves access to strong advocacy, compassionate care, and coordinated systems, regardless of where they live in New York. Our statewide expansion is about helping make that vision possible. This transition is not simply a new name. It represents a new chapter in a decades-long movement built by advocates, survivors, rape crisis programs, and partners across New York. We recognize the responsibility that comes with carrying that work forward.
We also know that together with our members and partners, we have what it takes to create better systems that provide the care and dignity survivors deserve.
Q&A with The Alliance’s Deputy Executive Director, Clarissa Espinoza
Keep reading for a Q&A with The Alliance’s Deputy Executive Director, Clarissa Espinoza. She touches on why we’re expanding, what this transition means, and what to expect next.
After 25 years serving New York City, what led the Alliance to take on this expanded statewide role?
Clarissa Espinoza, Deputy Executive Director: The Alliance has always been committed to strengthening sexual violence response and prevention systems. Over the years, our partnerships and technical assistance naturally expanded beyond New York City, and we recognized an opportunity to help connect and strengthen providers across the entire state. Taking on the statewide coalition role felt like a natural evolution of the work we’ve already been doing.
What gaps in services or support across New York State made this expansion feel important to pursue?
Clarissa Espinoza, Deputy Executive Director: One of the biggest gaps has been the need for stronger statewide coordination and more opportunities for providers to learn from one another. Organizations across New York are doing incredible work, but many are navigating similar challenges in isolation. We saw an opportunity to create more spaces for collaboration, elevate regional expertise, and ensure providers have access to meaningful training, technical assistance, and advocacy regardless of where they’re located.
What will change about the day-to-day work of the organization as you take on this statewide coalition role, and what will stay the same?
Clarissa Espinoza, Deputy Executive Director: Our reach will expand, but our values won’t change. We’ll spend more time building relationships with organizations across New York, convening statewide conversations, and identifying opportunities to strengthen the field together. At the same time, we’ll continue supporting New York City providers and remain grounded in survivor-centered, trauma-informed, and equity-driven work.
How does this expansion affect the communities The Alliance has long prioritized, including BIPOC, immigrant, low-income, and LGBTQ+ communities?
Clarissa Espinoza, Deputy Executive Director: Our commitment to these communities doesn’t change; it only continues to grow. As we expand statewide, we’re intentionally creating opportunities to hear directly from communities that have historically been underrepresented in statewide conversations. We want to ensure their experiences help shape priorities, resources, and advocacy so that support is responsive to the diverse realities of survivors across New York.
What do you most want survivor-serving organizations across the state to know about the Alliance’s new role?
Clarissa Espinoza, Deputy Executive Director: I want organizations to know that we’re here to listen first. We don’t see ourselves as coming in with all the answers; rather, we see ourselves as a partner committed to supporting the incredible work that’s already happening across the state. Our goal is to build relationships, strengthen connections, and advocate alongside providers.
What does this transition mean to you personally, given your time with the organization?
Clarissa Espinoza, Deputy Executive Director: This transition feels deeply personal to me. Throughout my career and especially during my time at the Alliance, I’ve come to believe that real change happens when we stop working in silos and start building systems together. I’ve had the privilege of working alongside advocates, healthcare providers, law enforcement, campuses, correctional facilities, and community organizations, and every experience has reinforced that no one organization can do this work alone. When I welcomed everyone to our conference last year, I talked about our responsibility to not only respond to sexual violence, but to reimagine what a comprehensive, survivor-centered system can look like. This statewide expansion feels like the next step in that vision.
What are you most looking forward to in this next chapter, and what feels most challenging?
Clarissa Espinoza, Deputy Executive Director: I’m most excited about building relationships with providers across New York and creating opportunities for shared learning and collaboration. The biggest challenge will be ensuring we’re responsive to the unique needs of communities in every region of the state. That means listening, adapting, and recognizing that there isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach to this work.
What would success look like a year from now in this new role?
Clarissa Espinoza, Deputy Executive Director: Success, to me, would ultimately be measured by what survivors experience. A year from now, I hope organizations across New York see The Alliance as a trusted partner and resource, with stronger regional connections, meaningful collaboration, and providers who feel supported, equipped, and inspired in their work. Most importantly, I hope that translates into survivors, regardless of where they live, having greater access to compassionate, trauma-informed services, feeling heard and believed, and receiving the support they need to heal.
How can providers, organizations, and allies get involved in this new chapter for The Alliance? How can they support?
Clarissa Espinoza, Deputy Executive Director: The best way to get involved is to engage with us. Join our trainings, participate in regional meetings, share your expertise, tell us what you need, and help shape the direction of the coalition. This work is strongest when it’s built collaboratively, and we’re excited to build a coalition that reflects the knowledge, innovation, and leadership already present across New York. This coalition will only be as strong as the people who shape it, and we hope you’ll help build what’s next alongside us.
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