On average, it takes a victim seven times to leave a violent situation before staying away for good, according to the National Domestic Hotline. The hurdles that come after this major feat, however, bring about a new sense of anxiety, fear, and ambiguity. For example, a recent Atlantic Street Center participant was living out of their car after narrowly escaping a violent home situation.

Because of her low credit score, landlords were unwilling to lease her a home. This meant the participant’s only choice was to live in her car. It is a harsh reality that many people in our communities see themselves surviving homelessness more so than staying with an abuser. And while it seems like an obvious choice to go to a shelter or apply for transitional housing, these places may either not be supportive long-term or readily available. In fact, many domestic abuse shelters have incredibly long waiting lists.

Our staff worked alongside this survivor for eight months. Together, they applied for multiple housing opportunities but it was the establishment of a relationship that got our participant into a home. One of our Housing Specialists had a frank conversation with a landlord, explaining that our client had escaped from a violent situation and was working hard to rectify her credit despite living in her car. It turned out that this landlord was empathetic to the situation and willingly looked past the participant’s credit. She was even allowed to move in ahead of a paid deposit.

Thanks to additional funds, Atlantic Street Center was also able to assist with moving costs. Now this person is thriving and creating new opportunities for herself in a safe and supportive space. This type of happy ending took almost a whole year to happen, but the outcome was certainly worth it. As long as abuse continues to occur, our community must stay consistent in providing support.

If you, or someone you know, is in need of support due to gender-based violence, contact our team GBV Advocate at (206) 637-6967, or via email. Para servicios en español, por favor llame a (206) 349-6197. Visit our Gender-Based Violence Support webpage here.