DASH released “A Call for Safe Housing: A Report on the Need for Housing for Domestic Violence Survivors in the District of Columbia” on Friday, September 28, 2007, at a symposium on safe housing for domestic violence survivors at THEARC in southeast Washington, DC. Policy makers, service providers, and housing and homeless advocacy groups participated in the forum. The DASH report highlights data collected through extensive research conducted over the summer with domestic violence victims and service providers, and reveals that the scarcity of safe, affordable housing for victims of domestic violence all too frequently forces them to remain in violent situations.
The symposium panel, moderated by Walter McGill, included: Nicole Gaskin-Laniyan, Ph.D., LICSW, Public Health Advisor and Founding Member of Breaking the Silence East of the River Committee; Ken Noyes, Co-Executive Director, DC Coalition Against Domestic Violence; Mia Morrison, Family Support Worker, Mary's Center for Maternal and Child Care, Inc; Peg Hacskaylo, Executive Director, District Alliance for Safe Housing, Inc. (DASH); Melissa Hook, Director, Office of Victim Services, Executive Office of the Mayor; and Allison Randall, National Network to End Domestic Violence. >>> Download Housing Report
Mission
The mission of the District Alliance for Safe Housing,
Inc. (DASH) is to ensure access to safe and sustainable refuge for victims
of domestic violence through the development and management of safe housing
and related services, while increasing the capacity of other community-based
organizations to expand housing for victims throughout the District of
Columbia.
Philosophy
DASH is addressing the overwhelming lack of housing and social services
for victims of domestic violence and their children in the District by
providing safety and necessary resources. DASH helps women and children
rebuild their lives on their own terms.
DASH has the following three goals:
- Develop safe housing for domestic violence victims and their families to ensure safety from violence and promote living without fear of abuse;
- Deliver targeted housing resources to victims and their families to improve access to safe,affordable housing and;
- Provide training and technical assistance to community-based programs and groups to develop program-rich housing for their clients to increase the overall well-being and safety for women and children in the District.
DASH’s Executive Director, Peg Hacskaylo, was featured in a WAMU story that aired during Domestic Violence Awareness Month highlighting the need for housing for victims of domestic violence in the District. >>> Listen
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