What We Offer

Who We Work With

Sakhi builds power with people experiencing abuse or violence in the New York City area. We primarily work with survivors of South Asian and Indo-Caribbean descent— this includes, but is not limited to, those who trace their origins to Bangladesh, the Caribbean, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and the larger South Asian and Indo-Caribbean diaspora. Our staff speak different South Asian languages. We understand how cultural traditions and ideas about gender can make it hard for many in our community to seek help.

We welcome survivors of all gender identities and sexual orientations—including male, trans, queer, and non-binary survivors. Our community reflects diverse backgrounds including age, religion, ethnic origin, caste, linguistic, socioeconomic and educational backgrounds, and immigration status.

While we specialize in working with South Asian communities in New York City, our services are open to all. Our team will offer help or resources anyone who reaches out to us.

It’s not easy to take the first step.

At Sakhi, we know how difficult it can be to flee abuse and find safety. Even reading this webpage might feel scary.

On average, it takes a survivor seven attempts to permanently leave an abusive situation. This can be even more challenging for survivors of abuse in our community. You may be experiencing pressure from an abuser, your family, or your religious community to accept patterns of abuse as normal.

It can be difficult to know if what you are going through is abuse. Visit the resource below for a step-by-step checklist:

Am I Experiencing Abuse?

Supporting your Journey

If you call our helpline, someone on our team will work with you to address your immediate needs. This may mean working with Sakhi further or finding more appropriate help based on your particular situation and where you live. Sakhi typically works directly with clients who live in the New York City metro area. We also work to determine if there might be agencies closer to you and better equipped to help you.

If you do open a case with Sakhi, our team of nonjudgmental advocates will work you one-on-one to match services such as crisis intervention, mental health counseling, and financial, housing support with your unique needs. Ultimately, we will work with you on achieving long-term healing and independence.

Our Services

Sakhi advocates work individually with survivors to ensure immediate safety and plan towards long-term personal goals. The following programs and services are available to all Sakhi clients based on each person’s unique needs and goals.