OREGON, USA — Some domestic violence survivors will now be eligible to receive up to $3,200 through the Temporary Assistance Domestic Violence Survivors program, also known as TA-DVS.
As of August 11, the grant more than doubled from its initial $1,200 amount, the first increase the program has seen since it began over 26 years ago.
The Oregon Department of Human Services cites rising housing costs as part of the reason for the state legislature’s decision.
“We know that the cost of living, that the benefits have not kept up with all of those increases, and we know that the incidents are increasing as well,” said Claire Seguin, the director of Self-Sufficiency Programs for the Oregon Department of Human Services.
She also said during the pandemic, there was an increase in domestic violence survivor numbers.
The funds are available over a 90-day certification period to help meet those safety needs, which can involve a wide range of elements.
“It could be rent, it could be utilities, it could be replacing items that are left behind. If somebody has to leave an unsafe environment, it could be for security equipment or even a post office box,” explained Seguin.
The program is not a one-time only resource.
“It's important that families and individuals have the safety that they need, and so the benefits are available again, if there's another incident,” said Seguin.
This increase followed an investment made in the 2024 legislative session to increase the grant amount, following a push by advocates.
“We were thrilled. We had been advocating for a while for this. Survivors have had to use $1,200 to escape domestic violence situations since 1996, and that doesn't cover a week's worth of motel. It doesn't cover rent. It doesn't cover anything these days, particularly in this housing crisis,” said Emmy Ritter, the executive director of Raphael House of Portland.
“Ninety percent of domestic violence survivors suffer from financial abuse, and what this resource does is alleviate that. We want to really alleviate that so they can thrive in their next life,” continued Ritter.
According to a 2023 advisory report from the Secretary of State, over a third of adults in Oregon experience domestic violence in their lives.
While there are various other eligibility requirements for this program, being pregnant or being a caretaker of a minor are on the list.
Interim CEO at Bradley Angle Margot Martin said that she thinks more can be done for other groups as well.
“Both Black, African American survivors and LGBTQ+ survivors are overrepresented in the pool of folks who have experienced domestic violence and underrepresented when it comes to resources available that are culturally specific, and are there just for them,” said Martin.
While ODHS doesn’t have anything specifically for those groups, Seguin said they’re aware of the problem.
“There's nothing in particular that we have that’s separated out for communities who are disproportionately impacted. What we know, though, is that is true, and we have our teams ready with culturally appropriate resources — whether it be language services or what have you — to really be able to meet the very specific needs of those populations. So it's a real high awareness on the part of our staff and the folks that we have who work with these communities,” Seguin said.
ODHS also reported that the most recent data from 2023 shows that Multnomah County has an average of 600 open TA-DVS cases per month.
Meanwhile, Clackamas and Washington counties have a combined average of 300 open cases per month.
The temporary increase to this program will come to an end on June 30, 2025, but Seguin said they’re working to try and continue this increase.
Resources
If you or someone you know have experienced domestic violence and need support, help is available. Here are some resources:
- National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or text START to 88788
- Love is Respect Hotline (for youth): 866-331-9474 or text LOVEIS to 22522
- Call to Safety (local 24/7 crisis line): 503-235-5333
- UNICA (local 24/7 Spanish language crisis line): 503-232-4448
- The Gateway Center (range of domestic violence services in Multnomah County): 503-988-6400