Domestic Violence Survivors Face Housing Discrimination

Press Type: Advisory   Associated Program: Domestic Violence

Released: 04/2009

Washington, D.C., April 21, 2009 - The National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty will release a disturbing new report showing that victims of domestic violence are regularly victimized twice: they suffer violence at the hands of their partners and may lose their housing as a result of actions of their abusers.

A national survey shows that a significant number of domestic violence victims have faced discrimination when applying for housing.  The survey also found that domestic violence victims are routinely evicted for reasons directly related to actions of their abusers, such as noise, property damage or calls to police. 

Over three years ago, Congress reauthorized the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) and included provisions protecting victims of domestic violence from being denied access to or being evicted from public or Section 8 housing.  This new study shows that housing providers are still inconsistently enforcing and implementing these protections, leaving victims of domestic violence to also fall victim to homelessness.

This report, titled Insult to Injury: Violations of the Violence Against Women Act, will be released at 10:00AM on Thursday, April 23, 2009.  Embargoed copies are available in advance of the release date by contacting Katherine Bittner (kbittner@nlchp.org).

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