Survivors of gender-based violence say they need an average of $1,567 to meet their needs and stay safe. But they typically do much less work, reporting a median savings of zero dollars.
This precariousness is detailed by the national organization FreeFrom, which works to create a path to financial security for gender survivors, according to a new report, to nearly 2,200 people who have sex in late 2020 Those in need distributed unrestricted cash grants worth $533,839 in response to a series of optional questions based on violence. About 776 survivors completed a follow-up survey.
Reported that survivors are primarily identified as people of color and frequently report being disabled and queer+. Almost all said they suffered financial abuse.
“$0 savings means absolutely no safety net to fall back on and no ability to safely plan for the future,” Sonya Passi, founder and CEO of FreeFrom, in an email Say. “Even small emergencies, like parking tickets or co-pays for hospital visits, can’t afford it. We’ve heard from many survivors who receive cash from us that means they don’t have to pay for harming them people seeking financial help.”
The pandemic and inflation will only make things worse, Parsi said. While survivors said in late 2020 that they could get a median of $175.50 if needed, that wasn’t enough to cover the average hotel stay. In addition, survivors reported “an average of $10,120 in abuse-related expenses,” including medical bills, treatment, legal fees, relocation, lost wages, and more, the report said.
The money they received from FreeFrom in 2020, survivors said they were able to buy food, household utilities and household items. Still, about 66 percent said they still needed help with housing costs, and survivors mostly said they needed cash assistance, as well as debt relief and mental health resources.
Disability survivors are more likely to report that they need help protecting assets from those who monitor, control or limit access to cash and benefits.
FreeFrom also released a separate new report with solutions that can be extended long-term – long-term support for survivors of gender-based violence, including Gender phobia, disability discrimination, etc. may face intersecting and systemic harm.
Helping survivors financially, Passi added, given that 58% of survivors report not being able to securely access their accounts, banks can train staff on how to help survivor clients and help protect their bank accounts . With many survivors also losing their jobs as a result of the injuries they faced, employers can also adopt paid and job-protected leave policies.
With many survivors reluctant to call the police in a crisis, the government needs to “invest in crisis response solutions that survivors really want, such as trained community de-escalation teams and mental health professionals, ‘ said Passy.
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