CT domestic violence shelters are over capacity
When it comes to supporting victims of domestic violence, Connecticut has some alarming data. Shelters ran over capacity by 111% in 2023 and 129% in 2024. In those two fiscal years, the average length of stay increased by 15% to a high of 53 days by the end of 2024.
The Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence (CCADV) brought attention to the state’s Housing Committee on the growing problem. In February, three bills were proposed to address homelessness, housing needs, and establishment of an interagency council to oversee these issues.
CCADV emphasized in its statement to the committee that emergency shelter is not a permanent solution for immediate safety and housing needs.
The organization noted that its ability to move victims from shelters to long-term housing is hampered by a lack of affordable housing.
“It is not acceptable that only certain communities have affordable housing as victims are often tied to the communities in which they live because that is where their support system (e.g., family, friends, healthcare providers) may reside, where their job is located, where their children go to school,” the statement read.
Victims can also face transportation issues, lack of childcare, privacy issues, financial problems, and a lack of long-term support.
In a 2023 CT Insider article about the lack of shelter space for domestic violence victims, a 10-day window showed 603 domestic abuse victims experienced homelessness as opposed to 542 people struggling with mental illness and 319 with substance abuse.
Supportive housing units were found to have very low turnover and most long-term housing reserved for the homeless statewide were meant for single occupants.
Most domestically abused women have children with them. Victims also struggle financially. So when the average cost of a home has been driven up, finding a place of your own becomes out of reach. When there is no safe place to go, victims often end up returning to their abuser.
Meghan Scanlon, CEO of CCADV, spoke with New England Psychologist about the multiple factors involved in the overcapacity of shelters. She said while it is different for every victim, there are some clear trends: affordable housing, mental health and substance abuse services, and legal aid.
“Mental health and substance abuse services are being slammed as are the housing and homelessness resources,” she said. “There’s also a big need for legal representation because a lot of these women need the help but can’t pay for a lawyer.”
She noted that with legal issues, immigration can be the problem. According to an NBC News article in August, a national survey from the Alliance for Immigrant Survivors showed 76% of immigrant advocates reported victims of domestic violence were afraid to call the police for fear of ICE.
Many immigrants will often drop their civil or criminal cases for fear of deportation.
For those victims with children, Scanlon noted that kids like a routine and stability. But the impact plays out in mental health issues and acting out at school. To offset that, they have child advocates and other resources like music and art therapy on site across the state.
“We try to support them as much as we can through this transition,” she said. “There’s just not enough housing for the demand. The shelter is supposed to be a temporary solution.”
She said that government funding cuts have not affected them yet. But she anticipates it may be a problem. Of the legislation addressing affordable housing in the state, one bill was vetoed this summer by Governor Ned Lamont.
For the other two bills, one is in the House and the other in the Senate. CCADV would prefer the proposed Senate bill because the House bill indicates some funding cuts.