October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, an annual observance that raises awareness for issues surrounding domestic violence and those impacted by it. Domestic violence occurs when one person intentionally causes physical or emotional harm to a partner in an intimate relationship. This may include sexual assault, physical abuse, and/or psychological or emotional abuse. It is a crime that can occur in both heterosexual and same-sex relationships, and is used to establish and maintain power and control over another person.
More than 4 million women are assaulted by intimate partners each year. While fifteen percent of domestic violence victims are men, domestic violence is a crime that disproportionally affects women and mothers with children. In addition to the more obvious hardships faced by survivors of domestic violence, many survivors also experience significant barriers to fair and stable housing.
The Impact of Domestic Violence on Survivors’ Housing
Domestic violence survivors’ housing can be impacted in a variety of ways. Often, survivors face housing discrimination because of their history of domestic violence through unfavorable treatment from landlords, denial of access to housing, and eviction in both the private and subsidized housing markets. In some cases, survivors of domestic violence may face eviction due to the actions of their abuser, which may include violence in the household or destruction of property. In other situations, tenants may face eviction for simply calling 911 for emergency assistance during a violent incident. This is because some local nuisance ordinances prompt landlords to evict tenants who make “excessive police calls” in order to avoid penalties, without taking into account why the calls were made or how that eviction might cause harm. Criminal activity nuisance ordinances are just one of the multiple systems that work to discourage survivors of domestic violence from contacting emergency services. While many people assume nuisance laws promote community safety, they often end up having the opposite effect on people in crisis.
A 2019 study by the Fair Housing Center for Rights & Research helped to more clearly identify the housing barriers faced by survivors of domestic violence locally. Twenty percent of survivors surveyed for the report responded that they struggled to find new housing following an act of domestic violence; 16.7% responded that they faced homelessness. Thirteen percent responded that they were evicted because of domestic violence. In addition, twenty percent of survivors reported that they were discouraged from calling 911, while thirty percent reported experiencing housing discrimination.
Legal Protections for Survivors
Luckily, legal protections and resources exist to help ensure that survivors of domestic violence are able to access housing that is safe and fair. Survivors of domestic violence have the right to appeal a housing denial or an eviction based on their status as a victim of abuse, and may even have a fair housing claim based on sex. The federal Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in housing based on seven protected classes — race, color, national origin, religion, sex (including sexual orientation and gender identity), familial status, and disability. Additionally, the sex protection prohibits discrimination against survivors of domestic violence and sexual harassment by housing providers, their staff, and neighboring tenants. State and local fair housing laws may offer additional protections as well.
Being in an abusive relationship is often complicated, and there are many reasons victims of domestic violence might stay with their abusers. Sometimes victims stay out of fear of escalated violence. as studies have shown that leaving an abuser is actually the most dangerous time for victims of domestic violence. Others stay because they lack resources, support, or have nowhere else to go. The Violence Against Women Act protects victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking from eviction and termination, due to their status, in federally subsidized housing programs, including public housing and Housing Choice Voucher participants. Managers of these housing programs are required to maintain strict confidentiality and adopt and implement model emergency transfer plans. These protections are in place to assist victims of domestic violence with safe housing options.
Where Can Survivors Go for Help?
For individuals experiencing domestic violence, it is important to know that help is out there. Nationally and locally, there are a number of resources and organizations dedicated to the needs of those in abusive or unsafe situations and relationships. The National Domestic Violence Hotline is available 24/7, and can be reached by calling 800-799-7233 or texting START to 88788. Northeast Ohioans who are in need of emergency shelter can call the Journey Center for Safety and Healing’s 24-Hour Helpline at 216-391-4357 (HELP). Journey Center’s Emergency Shelter serves over 350 adults and children annually who are seeking a safe and violent-free life. In addition, Journey Center offers a number of other resources, including trauma therapy, domestic violence support groups, and a domestic violence education program.
Northeast Ohio residents who believe they have been discriminated against in housing due to their status as a survivor of domestic violence are encouraged to contact the Fair Housing Center for Rights & Research. Fair housing advocates are available to educate, empower, and assist victims of discrimination in exercising their fair housing rights. Additionally, free resources and information are available online for folks to learn more about domestic violence and their fair housing rights. The Fair Housing Center strongly believes that fair, safe, and stable housing is not a privilege, but a right, that should be afforded to all people, no matter their circumstances.
To learn more about fair housing and how you can support survivors of domestic violence, watch this recent conversation between Tanesha Hunter, Director of Education & Outreach at the Fair Housing Center for Rights & Research, and Megan Gergen, Outreach and Training Coordinator at the Journey Center for Safety and Healing: