Sanctuary for Families is a New York City-based left-of-center advocacy and service organization focused on assisting individuals, particularly New Yorkers, affected by domestic and related forms of violence.

Background

Sanctuary for Families was founded in 1984 in New York City to offer services to locals affected by domestic violence. It offered access to a legal center, programming for children, and temporary housing. In September 1987, the organization was registered as a tax-exempt nonprofit organization. In the decades to follow, the organization expended its focus to include advocacy and offering services to individuals affected by sex trafficking, female genital mutilation, and other forms of related violence. ^{1 2}

As of July 2023, the organization claims to employ over 200 lawyers, clinicians, and “support staff,” operating in 11 locations in New York City. ³

Policy

Sanctuary for Families has advocated legislation that criminalizes the non-consensual distribution of sexually explicit images, legislation that removed a provision in New York State’s trafficking law requiring prosecutors to prove coercion, legislation that prohibits the marriage of minors under the age of 17, legislation that expanded public education to incorporate material on the negative effects of female genital mutilation, legislation that increased penalties for individuals convicted of trafficking, legislation that increased certification requirements for New York City taxi and limousine drivers, legislation that made strangulation a felony crime, legislation that permitted no-fault divorce, as well as legislation that barred minors under the age of 17 from being charged with prostitution. ⁴

As of July 2023, Sanctuary for Families supports the Sex Trade Survivors Justice and Equality Act sponsored in 2021 in the New York State Senate by Senator Liz Krueger (D), and in the State Assembly by Member Pamela Hunter (D). If enacted, the bill would repeal the crime of selling sex, prevent people who do not profit from prostitution from being charged with promoting prostitution, prohibit the usage of condoms as evidence in criminal trials for prostitution, as well as automatically expunge all past charges for prostitution and loitering for the purpose of prostitution. ^{5 6}

Affinity Groups

Sanctuary for Families manages a variety of volunteer affinity groups that support the work of the organization, including a Career Advancement Network, which connects aligned professionals and retirees with the organization’s Economic Empowerment Program; a Clinical Advisory Council, which connects aligned social workers, psychologists, psychiatrists, and academics to support the organization’s clinical programming operations; a Family Council, which connects aligned parents and children to support the organization’s community events programming; and a Legal Advisory Council, which connects aligned lawyers and other professional in law to support the organization’s legal center. ⁷

Leadership

Judy Harris Kluger

Judy Harris Kluger has been the executive director of Sanctuary for Families since 2014. Additionally, Kluger is a member of the New York City Mayor’s Advisory Committee on the Judiciary, the Mayor’s Office to End Domestic and Gender-Based Violence Advisory Council, and the advisory board of New York Nonprofit Media. Previously, Kluger served as a judge in New York State and as chief of policy and planning for the state’s court system. ⁸

Denis J. McInerney

Denis J. McInerney is the president of Sanctuary for Families’ board of directors as well as the senior counsel of Davis Polk. Previously, McInerney was a deputy assistant to the Attorney General and chief of the Fraud Section in the Criminal Division at the U.S. Department of Justice, as well as a deputy chief of the Criminal Division and assistant U.S. Attorney in the Criminal Division at the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Southern District of New York. ^{9 10}

1. ‘Sanctuary for Families Inc.’ ProPublica. Accessed July 31, 2023. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/133193119
2. “Our Mission.” Sanctuary for Families. Accessed July 31, 2023.  https://sanctuaryforfamilies.org/about-us/our-mission/
3. “Our Mission.” Sanctuary for Families. Accessed July 31, 2023.  https://sanctuaryforfamilies.org/about-us/our-mission/
4. “Advocacy.” Sanctuary for Families. Accessed July 31, 2023. https://sanctuaryforfamilies.org/our-approach/advocacy/#398f180692346a2cb3f3365c0e550035
5. ” SEX TRADE SURVIVORS JUSTICE & EQUALITY ACT.” Sanctuary for Families. Accessed July 31, 2023. https://sanctuaryforfamilies.org/our-approach/advocacy/sts-justice-equality-act/#9df700ecd0abaa02bc9884bfe63466c7
6. “Senate Bill S6040A.” New York State Senate. Accessed July 31, 2023. https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2021/S6040
7. “Our Affinity Groups.” Accessed July 31, 2023. https://sanctuaryforfamilies.org/about-us/our-affinity-groups/
8. “Our Team.” Sanctuary for Families. Accessed July 31, 2023. https://sanctuaryforfamilies.org/about-us/our-team/
9. ” Denis J. McInerney.” Davis Polk. Accessed July 31, 2023. https://www.davispolk.com/lawyers/denis-mcinerney
10. “Our Board.” Sanctuary for Families. Accessed July 31, 2023.