Home is supposed to mean safety, security, and comfort. But for many survivors home can be a triggering space fraught with memories of violence and trauma. A sexual assault survivor may need to find new housing because the perpetrator is the landlord or a live-in family member, intimate partner, or roommate. Even when the perpetrator is gone, the space where the assault happened- the table, the bed, the living room- still remain. These objects and spaces can be painful everyday reminders of the violence they endured. When immediate safety isn’t a risk, sexual assault survivors may only need an adjustment to their current housing to make home feel like a safe space.
This resource outlines the advocate’s role in housing advocacy, adjustments to current housing, community partnerships, and searching for new housing. When we are creative, the possibilities are endless.