Help Empower Women Who are Homeless in Chicago

 October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month: a time to acknowledge those who have survived and to speak out for the victims of intimate partner violence, or IPV. Domestic violence, or IPV, is physical, emotional, or economic abuse and stalking or sexual harm by a current or former partner or spouse.  

     Sadly, the pandemic has contributed to an inflation in domestic violence. Quarantine conditions can be an incubator for abuse and make it much more difficult to report, although worldwide surveys have shown a significant increase. From Time magazine: 

“When the pandemic began, incidents of domestic violence increased 300% in Hubei, China; 25% in Argentina, 30% in Cyprus, 33% in Singapore and 50% in Brazil... In the U.S., the situation is equally troubling, with police departments reporting increases in cities around the country: for example, 18% in San Antonio, 22% in Portland Ore.; and 10% in New York City, according to the American Journal of Emergency Medicine.” 

      Of course, stressors like unemployment and housing instability caused by COVID-19 contribute to domestic conflicts. These conflicts fuel abusive environments which are more difficult to leave during lockdown/stay-at-home orders, and working from home can mean being monitored by one’s abuser on a much greater scale. 

      Domestic violence is a large contributor to homelessness and an obstacle for finding help. 45% of the women Sarah’s Circle serves are survivors of domestic violence, which is why we have case managers that work one-on-one with any client that asks for assistance in finding new permanent housing or resources to process the mental toll that IPV takes on its survivors.  

If you or someone you know needs help with domestic violence, call the Domestic Violence Help Line at 1-877-863-6338 or visit their website for more information. Calls are free, confidential, available 24 hours a day and multilingual. 

"SSI resource limits have not been updated since 1989: a single beneficiary cannot accrue more than $2,000 in savings without risking losing their benefits. After receiving stimulus payments during the pandemic, SSI participants incurred penalties and required legal help." According to an article from The Hill, this basically means Americans are not valued as human beings...there is no political will to fix this. And what's more, SSI applicants are disproportionately Black. 

"A recovery package that aims to “Build Back Better” cannot leave...millions behind. We cannot wait another decade — we must improve and expand SSI immediately."

Check out this article from Rep. Jamaal Bowman, a former educator and middle school principal who represents New York’s 16th District and serves as vice-chair of the House Committee on Education and Labor, and Emilia Sicilia, an attorney and a coordinator of the Disability Advocacy Program (DAP) in the Yonkers office of the Empire Justice Center, a statewide legal services organization.

Links:

• Read the full article...