DV Awareness Month
Dear Editor: October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. This year we decided to talk about the one thing that is impacting the majority of victims Sitkans Against Family Violence serves in the community: housing insecurity. In a recent letter to the editor, we highlighted how lack of basic needs impacts one’s long-term health and contributes to other negative health outcomes throughout their life. Shelter is one of the most basic needs humans have, and our resources in Sitka are becoming scarce.
Safe and stable housing is a social determinant for health. Lack of safe and stable housing, much like lack of other basic needs, is linked to poor negative health outcomes. Conversely, there is evidence to show that when individuals who have chronic physical and behavioral health conditions receive permanent supportive housing, their need for long-term care and ER visits decreases, and their general health outcomes improve.
SAFV operates a 25-bed shelter for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault and is open to all genders. However, if 25 individuals lived at SAFV simultaneously, we would be extremely crowded. Due to the acute housing need in Sitka, SAFV often accepts individuals who identify as homeless if there is space available. In recent months, we have had to turn more and more people away who often resort to camping. I will note that almost no one who has been unhoused has been devoid of trauma and violence, even if that is not the most acute reason for being unhoused.
Over the last few years, we have seen access to long-term housing dwindling. Prices of rentals have risen and year-long rentals have become scarce. Additionally, if an individual has anything that would deem them a “bad tenant” including bad credit, a criminal history, or past evictions, they may not qualify for any subsidized housing agency. These sorts of things can be common for survivors of abuse due to the power and control that is experienced in abusive relationships. Victims of intimate partner violence may be prevented from obtaining employment or may not be allowed access to money to pay bills. Additionally, chronic trauma or long-sustained abuse from childhood or adulthood can lead to an increase in the likelihood of someone resorting to substances to cope.
Sitka Tribe of Alaska manages a wonderful Transitional Housing Program for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault to slowly obtain permanent sustainable housing on their own while receiving support and case management. However, despite having funding, they often have trouble obtaining spaces to rent.
The Sitka Homeless Coalition is working to help fill the gap in our community by raising funds to build tiny cabins for chronically unhoused individuals in Sitka. This will be a wonderful, needed resource for our community. However, please remember it will not be a total fix. The community must value safety and shelter as basic human rights in order to see a shift in all individuals receiving housing, and one agency alone will not be able to do this.
Survivors of violence who reside in Sitka must be wondering do I stay with my abuser or do I risk being homeless. When safety is viewed as a basic human right, it is not something that must be earned by good behavior, a grateful attitude or any other attribute or action that might be deemed necessary to receive services. As a community, we must unite to find a solution.
If you have questions or comments, please call us at 907-747-3370.
Sitkans Against Family Violence
