ICYMI: Senator Murray visits Mary's Place in Seattle and discusses the importance of providing economic security for domestic violence survivors

The Security and Financial Empowerment (SAFE) for Survivors Act of 2024 addresses economic barriers faced by survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault, ensures 40 days of leave for victims-10 of which must be paid

Senator Murray: "No survivor of domestic violence or sexual assault should be forced to choose between their safety and their paycheck, job, or ability to support their family."

Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (D-MI-06) and Congresswomen Gwen Moore (D-WI-04) introduced the Security and Financial Empowerment (SAFE) for Survivors Act to establish provisions that promote the safety and security of survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, gender-based violence, and stalking.

"No survivor of domestic violence or sexual assault should be forced to choose between their safety and their paycheck, job, or ability to support their family," Senator Murray said. "Survivors who are dealing with the mental and physical impacts of assault and violence often can't afford to miss a day of work or can't provide for their families on their own if they choose to leave a dangerous situation. We must do everything we can to change this heartbreaking reality. The SAFE Actfor Survivors Act would take a huge step toward ensuring no woman or person is stuck between worrying for their safety and making ends meet."

"Financial abuse occurs in nearly every case of domestic violence. So many survivors are financially tied to their abuser, which ends up being one of the main reasons survivors stay with an abusive partner," Dingell said. "Survivors have unique needs in their journey to economic independence, and the provisions in this bill will support their ability to provide for their families safely and independently, whether they choose to enter, remain, or take time off from the workplace."

"Domestic violence survivors shouldn't face financial hardship as they work to pick up the pieces after experiencing abuse," Moore said. "But too many endure a financial cost, which is why we must work to remove these barriers, so that survivors can access the resources they need. That's why I am thankful to partner with my House and Senate colleagues in much-needed legislation to strengthen survivors' access to health care, unemployment benefits, and paid leave."

The 2024 SAFE for Survivors Act allows victims to take time off from work without fear of penalty, requires that employers provide reasonable accommodations to assist survivors dealing with the aftermath of violence, provides access to unemployment benefits for survivors, and establishes insurance protections to support survivors-ensuring that victims are not punished for their abusers' crimes.

One in four women in the U.S. experience physical violence from an intimate partner in their lifetime and one in four women report an attempted or completed rape during their lifetime. Individuals who experience intimate partner violence, sexual assault, gender-based violence and stalking often find that abuse and threats follow them from home into the workplace. This type of violence has direct consequences for survivors' economic security, which can affect their ability to recover, provide for their families, and remove themselves from dangerous situations.

According to the Domestic Violence Hotline, 44% of full-time employed adults in the US reported experiencing the effect of domestic violence in their workplace; 21% identified themselves as victims of intimate partner violence. Domestic violence issues lead to nearly 8 million lost days of paid work each year, the equivalent of over 32,000 full-time jobs.

Highlights of the 2024 SAFE Act include:

Increased Access to Leave

• The SAFE for Survivors Act allows victims to take time off from work-40 days of leave, ten of which must be paid-without penalty in order to contend with the consequences of gender-based violence, including attending court appearances, seeking legal assistance, and getting help with safety planning. For too many victims, access to these essential services can mean the difference between life and death.

Enhanced Workplace Protections

• The SAFE for Survivors Act prohibits discriminatory employment practices in connection with survivors of domestic or sexual violence and requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations to assist survivor dealing with the aftermath of violence.

Access to Unemployment Benefits

• The SAFE for Survivors Act allows victims in every state access to unemployment benefits if they are fired or forced to leave their job because of abuse.

Insurance Protections for Survivors

• The SAFE for Survivors Act prohibits denial or restriction of insurance coverage based on the status of the applicant or insured regarding abuse or abuse related claims, ensuring that victims are not punished for their abusers' crimes.

A section by section of the SAFE for Survivors Act is available HERE.

Bill text is available HERE.

In addition to Murray, the SAFE for Survivors Act is cosponsored by Senators Baldwin, Blumenthal, Casey, Hirono, Klobuchar, Padilla, Sanders, Shaheen, and Van Hollen.

In addition to Dingell and Moore, the SAFE for Survivors Act is cosponsored by Representatives Ann Kuster (NH-02), Delia C. Ramirez (IL-03), Mark Pocan (WI-02), Raul Grijalva (AZ-07), and Barbara Lee (CA-12)

The SAFE for Survivors Act is endorsed by: National Partnership for Women & Families, The National Domestic Violence Hotline, Ascend Justice, Just Solutions, Legal Momentum, The Women's Legal Defense and Education Fund, Family Values @ Work, Center for American Progress, Futures Without Violence, A Better Balance, Legal Aid at Work, Asian Pacific Institute on Gender-Based Violence, MomsRising, Center for Law and Social Policy, Women's Center & Shelter of Greater Pittsburgh, Women Employed, Project Safeguard, The Restaurant Opportunities Centers United (ROC UNITED), Family Forward, Caminar Latino-Latinos United for Peace and Equity, National Resource Center on Domestic Violence, National Network to End Domestic Violence, and The Network Advocating Against Domestic Violence.

Senator Murray last introduced a version of this bill as the SAFE Act in 2019 alongside Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA). Senator Murray has long prioritized passing policies to help end domestic violence and support survivors. She has helped author major provisions and additions to the Violence Against Women Act over the years. In the most recent reauthorization of VAWA Senator Murray passed major provisions of her Survivors' Access to Supportive Care Act (SASCA).

In the Senate FY 2025 funding bill she passed out of committee, Senator Murray secured $739.5 million, the highest funding level ever, for grants provided by the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW). This represents an increase of $26.5 million above fiscal year 2024 for these lifesaving programs such as support training for police officers and prosecutors, state domestic violence and sexual assault coalitions, rape prevention programs, lethality assessment and homicide reduction initiatives, domestic violence hotlines, women's shelters, transitional housing, and rural support services.

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