Reps. Kuster, Speier and Katko at the roundtable

The roundtable can be viewed here.

Photos from the roundtable can be viewed here.

Today, the Bipartisan Task Force to End Sexual Violence, led by Representatives Annie Kuster (D-NH), Jackie Speier (D-CA), David Joyce (R-OH) and John Katko (R-NY), hosted a roundtable discussion on ensuring access to shelters and affordable housing for survivors of sexual and domestic violence. Fifty percent of all homeless women report that domestic violence was the immediate cause of their homelessness, and 38 percent of all domestic violence victims become homeless at some point in their lives. Women who are homeless are two to four times more likely to experience some sort of violence while they are homeless. The Bipartisan Task Force to End Sexual Violence regularly holds roundtable discussions – in October, the taskforce co-chairs held a roundtable on missing and murdered native women and sexual violence on tribal lands.

The Task Force was joined today by:

-Marie Linebaugh, Program Director at the New Hampshire Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence

-Monica McLaughlin, Director of Public Policy at the National Network to End Domestic Violence

-Koube Ngaaje, Executive Director at the District Alliance for Safe Housing

-Sally Santangelo, Executive Director at CNY (Central New York) Fair Housing

“The Task Force is pleased to welcome leaders and champions who are diligently working to ensure all survivors of sexual and domestic violence have a roof over their heads,” said the Task Force co-chairs. “We know that until we have a safe place to call home, it is nearly impossible for anything else in life to fall into place. Without having somewhere else to go, particularly emergency shelters, many survivors will remain in abusive and dangerous situations. As lawmakers, we have a responsibility to help prevent survivors, who have already endured so much, from having to face the further burden of homelessness. Today’s roundtable provides us with important insights that we will share with our colleagues as we continue our efforts to combat sexual and domestic violence and support survivors.”

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