FACTS AND STATISTICS

Consequences of Domestic Violence (DV) in New York City

• In 2006, there were between 3,500 and 4,000 emergency department visits as a result of intimate partner violence ⁽ⁱ⁾
• In 2009, there were ⁽ⁱⁱ⁾:
  • 61 family related homicides
    • 67% had no prior contact with police
    • 87% had no order of protection
  • 140,895 calls to the City's DV Hotline
  • 250,349 DV incidents responded to by police
• New York City spent $227 million in 2005 on emergency, police, and other services directly related to domestic violence⁽ⁱⁱⁱ⁾
• 31% of homeless persons in families in New York City have been touched by domestic violence^(iv)

Access to Temporary Housing

*Data from Human Resources Administration, ODVEIS

11,276 individuals and 4,496 families were served by DV emergency and Tier II shelter during Fiscal Year 2010.^(v)

Only 19% of families move through the continuum of care from emergency to transitional shelter. As a result, most families are expected to move from emergency shelter directly to permanent housing within 4½ months.

Access to Permanent Housing

Only 21% of emergency shelter discharges are to permanent housing, leaving the majority of residents discharged to non-permanent or unstable housing. This percentage increases to 57% for Tier II residents, but more than 1/3 still lack a permanent housing option.

(Non-permanent housing includes: temporarily doubled up with friends/family, returned to batterer, transferred to another DV shelter, or referred to the DHS shelter system.)

*Data from Coalition of DV Residential Providers Monthly Discharge Survey Data, January-December 2009

In 2009, 31% of domestic violence survivors discharged from an emergency shelter were referred to the general homeless shelter system. When applying to this system, survivors must re-qualify as homeless and are generally no longer considered in danger or in need of specialized services, putting them at further risk.

Of those moving to permanent housing, 47% moved to an apartment with a DV Advantage voucher and an additional 23% moved to an apartment with one of the other Advantage vouchers. These families are expected to be fully self-sufficient after two years.

Challenges of Work Advantage

Half of shelter residents do not have a high school diploma or GED and 60% have no or limited work experience (less than one year of employment), making obtaining employment particularly difficult.

Under the amended Advantage program, participants must now work 20 hours a week and pay 30% of their income towards rent during the first year to qualify for the housing subsidy. Working 20 hours per week at a minimum wage of $7.25, clients must contribute $188.50 per month to rent, leaving them with only $439.83 for all other expenses.

Access to Public Housing

As of April 2010 ^(vi):

• 135,491 families on waiting list for Conventional Public Housing
• 125,403 families on waiting list for Section 8 Housing

NYCHA does provide priority status for domestic violence survivors applying for Section 8 and Public Housing, but at least 52% of shelter residents do not have the required documentation to qualify.

Ultimately, only 4% of those leaving emergency shelter and 18% of those leaving Tier II shelter are linked to Section 8 or Public Housing through the DV priority.

Challenges for Immigrants

Around 1/3 of shelter residents ineligible for Advantage are ineligible because of their immigration status. Of that group, only 10% leave shelter for permanent housing. Without any other option, most are forced to return to their abuser, live with family or friends, or remain homeless in the general shelter system.

Twelve percent of shelter residents have no proficiency in English, making it difficult for them to navigate the Public Assistance system and find a job.

Other Resources

NYC Homelessness: The Basic Facts
Coalition for the Homeless, Updated April 2010

NYCHA Fact Sheet
New York City Housing Authority, Updated May 2010

NYC Domestic Violence Fact Sheet
Mayor's Office to Combat Domestic Violence, CY 2009

NYC Counties Domestic Violence Victim Data
NYS Division of Criminal Justice Services, 2009

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* All data is from the "Statistics for Advocacy" monthly survey by the Coalition of Domestic Violence Residential Providers for CY 2009 unless otherwise noted.

i. Intimate Partner Violence Against Women in New York City, Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, pg 2, 2008
ii. Mayor's Office to Combat Domestic Violence, Domestic Violence Fact Sheet 2009
iii. City Spending on Domestic Violence: A Review, Independent Budget Office, June 2007
vi. City of New York, Proposed 2010 Consolidation Plan, Volume 1, pg 74
v. HRA ODVEIS, FY2010
vi. NYCHA Fact Sheet, May 2010