New York Initiative

About
The New York Initiative (NYI) is a citizen infrastructure group dedicated to protecting sex workers in New York City from the Long Island Serial Killer. Their emphasis appears to be on providing the workers with services, rather than physical presence.

The group received some press attention in July, 2010, but their first public mission statement appears to be an ad on the New York edition of Craig's List, the complete text of which is here.

They are apparently a sub-project of the Real Life Superheroes (RLSH) movement (New York Press described them as a "splinter group", but there is no evidence of factionalism between NYI and RLSH.)

Contact

 * email: NYInitiative@gmail
 * Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/NewYorkInitiative

Services

 * a set of specific instructions for safe dating, using a friend as emergency backup
 * for those with no friend available, they provide the following:
 * a phone number to call
 * a set of code words and numbers (to signal danger without necessarily tipping off a dangerous date)
 * practical martial arts training
 * improvised weapons training (e.g. pens, phones, keys)

All of their services are provided free of charge.

Reference

 * : no information as of 2011-04-29