Sexual assault survivors in Ohio can now access short-term emergency housing through a new program run by the Ohio Alliance to End Sexual Violence. Research shows more than 90% of women experiencing homelessness report having suffered severe physical or sexual violence at some point in their lives. The Alliance s Survivor Coordinator Shelley Lieber said there are currently few emergency housing options available for survivors of sexual assault. .
It has been just days since Utah leaders enacted a bill that requires law enforcement agencies to conduct a 12-question assessment in response to domestic violence calls, to help determine how lethal a threat might be. At the Utah Domestic Violence Coalition, Public Policy Director Erin Jemison said she thinks the new law will enable police to better identify high-risk situations and get people connected with services. Officers will also have real-time access to more information about those making the alleged threat, and past law enforcement interactions related to domestic violence. .
A Virginia group is working to ensure abusers can t use the courts to keep harming their victims. Commonly called "abusive litigation," these come in the form of lawsuits aimed at drawing a victim back into contact with their abuser. The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence finds in 2020, almost 34% of women and around 29% of men in Virginia experience domestic violence. .
May is Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month, and according to the Asian Pacific Institute on Gender-Based Violence, the number of Asian American women who have experienced sexual violence could be as high as 55%. Monicah Yonghang, bilingual advocate with Asian Services in Action Ohio, explained various cultural barriers prevent many API survivors, including immigrants and refugees, from reporting sexual violence and accessing services. "We also noticed that they internalized a traditional gender norms," Yonghang pointed out. " .