Local leaders took a stand against domestic violence and joined survivors at a rally in the Bronx Wednesday to help raise awareness of the issue. 

"It’s a real problem when women don’t feel that they can speak up or they feel that they will not be heard or they feel there will be intimidation or consequences to their words,” said Assemblywoman Nathalia Fernandez. 

The rally happened a day after Bronx state Sen. Luis Sepulveda was accused of choking his estranged wife. 

Now, local leaders are calling him to step down--including one survivor who says she was threatened by Sepulveda two years after interrupting him at a press conference.