Influx of migrants arriving in DC sheds light on barriers to accessing domestic violence resources

WASHINGTON (7News) — Migrants are continuing to arrive in D.C., and the humanitarian crisis is now shedding light on another concern.

During Domestic Violence Awareness Month, 7News is taking a close look at the growing barriers immigrants who are fleeing domestic violence and gender-based violence are facing due to a lack of services in the DMV.

In September of 2022, the D.C. government enacted a temporary law to address the situation of people arriving on buses from the southern border.

The law prevents them from accessing the services and protections available under the Homeless Services Reform Act because they are not considered residents in the District.

Although the law grants victims of domestic violence access to the services and protections of the Homeless Services Reform Act, this is not always clear to organizations that serve survivors.

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“From my perspective, it’s always better and more effective to support people the way that they need it rather than have the ramifications. Let’s just imagine that we just ignored it, we just turned around and said ‘not our problem these people are here.’ What they have to do to survive and what they are going through is inherently impacting us all because we are in this community together,” said Director of DC SAFE Natalia Otero.

DC SAFE is the only 24/7 crisis intervention agency for domestic violence in Washington, D.C., and is on pace to surpass $52.5 million in migrant aid by the end of October 2023, according to the D.C. Department of Human Services.

“A lot of the times when these things are happening and people are coming in on those buses, there are organizations coming to their aid, but they are not necessarily trained advocates. So, they are not really making an assessment at the beginning as to what the client might need,” Otero said.

The influx of migrants arriving on buses is putting a strain on social services.

According to the D.C. Department of Human Services, more than 2,000 migrants have received temporary shelter in D.C., so far.

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DC SAFE has provided support to migrants sent by buses to the city, offering accommodation to people seeking to escape violence once they arrive.

Advocates say, unfortunately, support resources for those in need of shelter in the DMV are already stretched thin as migrants are arriving in unprecedented numbers.

During the crisis, community initiatives and organizations like Madre Tierra and Latinas en Poder have joined forces with other organizations in Mexico to support survivors of domestic violence during the migration process, providing information about services and the asylum process in the DMV.

“These acts of solidarity spontaneously arise from communities in vulnerable situations. Establishing more effective coordination between government agencies and social organizations is crucial,” said Nitza Segui, President and CEO of Latinas en Poder, a Transnational Network of Women’s Organizations.