​WHY WALK? TALKING POINTS
Did You Know?

• One in every four women will experience domestic violence in her lifetime.
• Witnessing violence between one’s parents or caretakers is the strongest risk factor of transmitting violent behavior from one generation to the next.
• Almost one-third of female homicide victims are killed by an intimate partner.
• Victims of intimate partner violence lost almost 8 million days of paid work because of the violence perpetrated against them.
• The cost of intimate partner violence exceeds $5.8 billion each year, $4.1 billion of which is for direct medical and mental health services.
• Domestic violence is one of the most chronically under-reported crimes.
• Immigrant women in the United States often suffer higher rates of battering as they have less access to legal, social, and support services.
• Abusers commonly exploit the victim’s immigration status and lack of knowledge about their legal rights as a means to control and instill fear in victims.
• The US Congress must reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), which helps protect immigrant survivors of domestic violence. This year, the House of Representatives passed their own version of VAWA, which removes important protections for immigrant survivors.It is more important than ever, that we stand together and support immigrant survivors of violence!

Together We Can End the Cycle of Domestic Violence!

• Each year, Apna Ghar serves immigrant survivors from over 45 countries.
• 86% of Apna Ghar’s clients are immigrant women and children.
• Apna Ghar is a one-stop shop for survivors. Our co-located services allow survivors to meet their immediate safety needs and take their first steps toward long-term stability, without the anxiety of navigating unfamiliar systems and connecting with multiple service providers on their own.
• Each year, Apna Ghar serves over 2,000 women, men, and children with over 12,000 hours of services through our hotline, emergency and transitional housing, counseling, legal advocacy, and child visitation programs.
• Each year, Apna Ghar provides over 2,000 volunteers, police officers, first responders, government officials, policymakers, community members, and other stakeholders with information and strategies on how to better serve immigrant survivors.
• Each year Apna Ghar provides over 60 women and children with emergency housing (there are only 112 shelter beds specifically for domestic violence survivors in the City of Chicago!)