Act Now: Stop Hate Crimes Against the Homeless

by Shannon Moriarty · 2009-11-19 17:52:00 UTC
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It's a cruel fact: when you live without a home, you are more vulnerable to violence on the streets. Next week, the Senate Judiciary is scheduled to vote on legislation that would add homeless people to the federal hate crimes statistics statue. Take action today to tell your elected lawmakers to support this important bill.

The legislation - called the Hate Crimes Against the Homeless Statistics Act (S. 1765) - was introduced by Senator Cardin of Maryland and Senator Collins of Maine. According to the National Coalition for the Homeless, the legislation has been placed on the Senate Judiciary Committee schedule and could be marked up as early as November 19, but more likely the week of the November 23.

This bill is timely; as homelessness has increased over the past decade, so has the number of brutal, violent attacks against the homeless. From 2002 to 2005, hate crimes against the homeless increased 300%. Fatal attacks rose by 67%. And the latest study by the National Coalition for the Homeless found that this number has increased even more - 65% - since 2005.

But it's important to remember that hate crimes cannot be measured solely in terms of physical injury, according to the National Coalition for the Homeless, they also "leave a special emotional and psychological mark on victims and their communities, leaving them feeling isolated, vulnerable, and unprotected by the law."

Unlike other categories protected by most hate crime laws - such as gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or religion - a person's "homeless" status is not permanent. In fact, it is preventable and can be ended with one thing: housing. Of course, until housing becomes regarded as a human right, we will have to settle for such incremental steps to protect the most vulnerable among us in the short term.

Tell your lawmakers to vote "yes" for this important piece of legislation!

Image: Matt From London

Shannon Moriarty has worked in various homeless shelters and service organizations around the country. She is a graduate student studying housing and urban policy at Tufts University.
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