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People fleeing domestic
violence experience a state of uncertainty; gathering clothes, children, and
medicine as they leave. What are their housing options? A shelter, a friend's
couch, public housing, the street?
** For details on the
impact of VAWA's 2013 reauthorization on survivors of domestic violence, see our fact sheet
- Domestic violence is a leading cause of homelessness
nationally.
- In one study in Massachusetts, it was found that 92%
of homelessness women were survivors of physical or sexual assault at
some point in their lives.
- Between 22% and 57% of homeless women report that
domestic violence is the immediate cause of their homelessness in various
regions.
**For more statistics
about state-wide domestic violence, see our fact sheet on Housing and Violence Against Women.
- When a landlord learns that a tenant is a victim of
domestic violence, the landlord sometimes reacts by taking action against
the victim.
O The Federal Fair Housing Act prohibits landlords
from treating women differently from male tenants protecting those living in
public housing, houses, apartments, condominiums, trailer parks, and homeless
shelters.
- The
Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) improves safety for domestic violence
victims in housing and shelter by bringing desperately needed resources,
collaborations, and protections to help end homelessness and domestic and
sexual violence.
o
The Law
Center played a lead role in drafting and winning enactment of new Public
and Section 8 housing protections and housing programs to assist homeless and
near-homeless domestic violence survivors included in the Violence Against
Women Act of 2005.
o
The Violence Against Women
Reauthorization Act of 2013, legislation which was strongly supported by the
Law Center, extends
VAWA's housing protections by
including nine additional federally subsidized housing programs, explicitly
protecting survivors of sexual assault, and mandating that housing agencies
create and implement emergency housing transfer options.
- The Law Center's Domestic Violence Program works to
improve access to housing for domestic violence survivors and their families.
- We work to develop and implement policy changes, build
networks, and broaden education efforts in the housing, legal, and
domestic violence communities.
- Our efforts expand access to housing for those fleeing
abuse. We also prevent victims of domestic violence from losing their
housing due to the violence committed against them.
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