INDIANAPOLIS -- Domestic violence leaders teamed up with the Coalition for Homeless Intervention and Prevention on Wednesday to talk about creating more options to make survivors of domestic violence feel safe.
The meeting was part of the Domestic Violence Network’s three-year plan to end domestic violence in central Indiana by addressing economic barriers including the need for affordable housing.
One out of every six homeless people in Indiana has been a victim of domestic violence.
Violet was one of those victims. She endured physical and emotional abuse for years before finally convincing herself it was time to leave.
“It took me a while to get out of that relationship because I felt it was my duty as a Christian woman to love him no matter what, to forgive him no matter what and just pray for change,” said Violet.
RELATED | What's Indianapolis' domestic violence problem like? 57 calls in the past 5 days
And when she finally left, she had no place she could go. Violet ended up homeless and on the streets until someone referred her to Coburn Place.
But there aren’t a lot of places like Coburn Place, and there are sometimes waiting lists to get into them. For a victim of domestic violence, having a place to go can mean the difference between getting out of an abusive relationship or staying.
“There are absolutely men and women who are staying in abusive relationships because they don’t feel there’s an option for safe and affordable housing,” said Domestic Violence Network volunteer Chris Handberg. “And as a community, that should be alarming.”
RELATED | Survey: 25 percent of domestic violence victims would not report abuse to police
Watch the video above to hear Violet’s story.
