SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. — A bill introduced Tuesday in the U.S. House of Representatives would expand federal support for victims of crime through new financial assistance, housing aid and employment support programs.
The Crime Survivors Support and Stability Act, introduced by Lateefah Simon and Emilia Sykes, has gained support from Just Safe and Crime Survivors Speak, two of the nation’s largest organizations representing crime survivors.
Just Safe is a national membership and advocacy organization that seeks to replace mass incarceration with community-based approaches to safety and healing for victims of violence. Its network, Crime Survivors Speak, includes more than 200,000 crime survivors across the country.
Aswad Thomas, vice president of community engagement for Just Safe and national director of Crime Survivors Speak, endorsed the bill Tuesday.
According to a press release, the legislation would remove barriers faced after victimization and provide critical support for survivors and their families. The additional resources would also help address the underfunding of community-based organizations that currently work to meet survivors’ needs.
“This legislation will ensure survivors receive quick and direct support from trusted community-based organizations,” Simon said.
“It’s about meeting people where they are and giving them a real path to stability and healing,” Sykes added.
The measure would establish programs offering employment assistance, housing support and immediate financial aid for victims and their families. Survivors of violence often face severe economic consequences, with victims 3.6 times more likely to declare bankruptcy. Employment disruptions are also common, with one in six survivors reporting they lost their jobs or were demoted for reasons related to their victimization, according to Alliance for Safety and Justice.
The bill would also require state-level victim surveys designed to identify the specific needs and trauma experienced by survivors. According to the Alliance for Safety and Justice, 96% of victims of violence report not receiving compensation, while 74% say they did not receive mental health support.
“Often survivors of crime, including those who have lost loved ones to violence, lack the resources to bury a family member, pay extensive medical bills or are unable to get the time off work to recover from victimization,” said Shakyra Diaz.
Supporters said the bill is intended to strengthen the federal response to the barriers faced by crime survivors nationwide.
“We need bills like these that will help victims heal and break cycles of crime, revictimization and despair,” Thomas said.
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