Proposal Protects Domestic, Sexual Assault Victims from Eviction

Victims of domestic and sexual assault who contact authorities for help will not have to worry about losing their home under a proposal that passed the Senate Judiciary Committee today.

“The last thing a survivor of a traumatic assault needs to worry about is the threat of eviction by simply calling the police for help,” sponsor State Senator Toi Hutchinson (D – Chicago Heights) said.

Domestic and sexual assault survivors risk eviction in the more than 100 home rule Illinois municipalities that have implemented some form of “crime-free” ordinance meant to give more control to municipalities in addressing public safety concerns. Many of these ordinances have specifically listed triggers that could lead to an eviction, including numerous calls to law enforcement.

While the intent of “crime-free” ordinances is to deal with illegal activity, victims of domestic and sexual assault can be affected by the rules, especially if there are several instances of abuse where multiple calls to the police for help are made.

“Victims should not be penalized for the actions of their abusers,” Hutchinson said.

Senate Bill 1547 passed the Senate Judiciary Committee today and heads to the Senate floor for further debate.

For more information: http://tinyurl.com/oy3hugr