Last August, a woman a domestic violence hotline in Utah four times. She needed shelter so that she and her children could leave an .
But more than six months later, according to the National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV), she is still living with that abuser, waiting to find a safe place to go.Hers is not the outlier experience.
For countless survivors, escaping an abuser takes time—both to work up the conviction and resources to flee and to secure at least some basic housing.
But as the coronavirus spreads nationwide, victims are faced with an unprecedented complication. Public health officials and statewide leaders have communicated this in no uncertain terms: Don’t leave home.Their guidance—urging Americans to stay inside.