It’s starting to get cold outside! And while that may be a delight to some of us, for many in our community, it can be a nightmare. This includes CCCNH’s clients for several reasons.
Survivors of domestic and sexual violence face many barriers to safe housing; imagine being locked in a cage with an angry lion with the only escape being a smooth 10-foot wall with no handholds and no other exits. If you manage to leave “the cage”, in many cases you have no support nor a roof over your head. There are many families throughout Merrimack Country that are in that “cage” right now, trying to decide between living with their abuser or being homeless. CCCNH’s job is to help clients leave the cage they are trapped in, by providing handholds that will empower them to pursue a life free from violence.
Statistics reported by the Allstate Foundation, along with the survivors CCCNH has served, show us that in 99% of abusive relationships, the abuser uses financial abuse to control and retain their power over the victim – common tactics to remain in control of the victim include:
- opening credit lines in the victim’s name
- property damage of rentals (resulting in possible evictions)
- completely restricting access to bank accounts and credit cards
- frequently calling or showing up to the victim’s job (often leading the victim to being terminated)
These barriers make it difficult to access housing in NH’s competitive rental market.
My goal as a housing advocate is to assist survivors in finding sustainable housing as soon as possible so survivors can be in a safe, stable environment where they are able to focus on healing, away from their abuser. When survivors are safely housed, they are more equipped to focus on rebuilding their lives after the traumatic abuse they survived, which in turn creates more economic stability for themselves and their children. Based on mounting evidence from studies conducted around the world, researchers have concluded that domestic violence significantly impedes economic growth and development. A 2003 study by the CDC estimated that domestic violence cost the U.S. economy more than $5.8 billion in a single year. Other studies have estimated the annual costs of domestic violence in the United States to be as high as $12.6 billion. Providing housing stability to survivors directly contributes to the economic wellness of the community. Not only will they be able to pay their bills, but they’ll be able to provide economic security for themselves and their family, breaking the cycle of poverty.
Citations:
Allstate Foundation-https://allstatefoundation.org/what-we-do/end-domestic-violence/
National Center for Injury Prevention and Control-https://www.cdc.gov/ViolencePrevention/pub/IPV_cost.html
World Health Organization-http://www.who.int/violence_injury_prevention/publications/violence/economic_dimensions/en/index.html.