Access to affordable housing is often the number one barrier that prevents people experiencing domestic and sexual violence (DV/SV) from being able to leave an abusive situation. Through services at Sojourner House, people fleeing DV/SV are able to access housing support and wrap around services that promote agency, healing, and growth for victims and their families.

Last year, Sojourner House alone received 1,759 hotline calls requesting shelter support but 89%, or 1,565 of those callers couldn’t be supported due to a lack of space in shelters. With Sojourner House now being appointed as the Regional Access Point for all people seeking help with DV/SV in the State of Rhode Island, it is essential to increase resources to remove the barrier of housing for those seeking help leaving abusive relationships. Further, with housing insecurity and homelessness on the rise in our state, the time to move to action in support of those affected by domestic and sexual violence is now!

Sojourner House is requesting a $500K allocation in the Rhode Island State Budget for FY2027 that would provide lifesaving services to Rhode Islander’s facing domestic violence (DV) and human-trafficking, helping them secure housing, mental health services, workforce readiness programs, and more.

With this allocation, Sojourner House would be able to...

• Provide housing and supportive services to 70 adults and 127 children

• Bring in $1.5 million in HUD funding (through grant-matching requirements) supporting Governor McKee’s 2030 Housing Plan and more families experiencing violence.

• Save nearly $18 million preventing these children from DCYF involvement resulting from violence

• Save nearly $6.5 million in domestic violence-related costs to the government