Housing Insecurity in Relation to Sexual Violence 

A safe place to live is a human right for all. However, societal inequities prevent equal access to 
affordable, safe, and stable housing. 

Having a safe place to live is important for sexual assault survivors and access to safe, secure housing is 
also a protective factor that can buffer against sexual harassment, abuse, and assault. 

Homelessness is a risk factor for experiencing rape or sexual assault. People who are homeless 
experience disproportionate rates of sexual violence (National Sexual Violence Resource Center [NSVRC] 
2020a). In one study, 78.3% of homeless women and 90% of homeless men surveyed had been 
subjected to rape, physical assault, and/or stalking at some point in their lifetimes. Historical and 
structural oppression is a main driver of homelessness, with Black, Indigenous, and other people of color 
(BIPOC) overrepresented in the homeless population (NSVRC, 2020b). 

In our work to prevent sexual harassment, abuse, and assault, we share a vision for a world where 
individuals, families, and communities thrive. To realize this vision, we must create social and physical 
environments that provide every person the opportunities for good health and positive well-being. This 
means that health equity, the state in which everyone has a fair and just opportunity to attain their 
highest level of health (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2022) is also a major part of 
our work. Access to affordable and safe housing is a component of health equity (National Resource 
Center on Domestic Violence [NRCDV] & NSVRC, 2021). 

As we work to prevent sexual violence, we can help eliminate housing insecurity, homelessness and 
increase access to safe, secure, and affordable housing, which will in turn help build safer communities, 
create health equity, and protect against sexual violence. 

References 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022). What is health equity? [Webpage]. 
https://www.cdc.gov/healthequity/whatis/index.html 

National Resource Center on Domestic Violence, & National Sexual Violence Resource Center. (2021). 
Back to basics: Partnering with survivors and communities to promote health equity at the intersections 
of sexual and intimate partner violence. https://www.nsvrc.org/backtobasics 

National Sexual Violence Resource Center. (2020a). Housing, homelessness, and sexual violence- 
annotated bibliography. https://www.nsvrc.org/housing-homelessness-and-sexual-violence-annotated-
bibliography 

National Sexual Violence Resource Center. (2020b). What are the links between sexual violence and 
housing? https://www.nsvrc.org/resource/2595/sexual-violence-housing-infographic