Pronalaženje doma nakon teškoća

It took a friend to tell Alisa she had a problem. The mother of three was working at the Mountain Home School District when a coworker began to notice something was not right in Alisa’s life. Once she figured out what was happening, her message to Alisa was clear; you need to leave your abusive relationship. 

“She told me it’s not healthy for you, it’s not healthy for your kids,” Alisa said. “She was there to support me and gave me that push I needed to walk away.” 

Fortunately, Alisa had a place to turn to for help. Elmore County Domestic Violence Council is one of the many agencies across Idaho who work with survivors of domestic violence to find them a safe place to live. While there are plenty of stereotypes and perceptions when it comes to people experiencing homelessness, 31 percent of homeless people in Idaho come from situations involving domestic violence, according to data from the Homeless Management Information System. Agencies like Elmore County Domestic Violence Council provide emergency shelter for survivors, while working to secure them long-term housing. 

“If we can get someone back up and going, they might not need to stay with us long. Some take longer to access housing, so they stay at our shelter longer to avoid being homeless,” said Xochil Perez, director at Elmore County Domestic Violence Council. 

Though it is less than an hour from Boise, Mountain Home is a rural community. Having the Air Force base nearby also adds challenges, since many survivors are transplants with little or no family support nearby. That can make it harder for a person to leave a bad situation. 

“Statistically, it takes seven times to leave an abusive relationship, but in a rural area, it’s nine,” Perez said. “It’s the whole homeless situation: Where am I going to go next? What is going to happen to my children?” 

Elmore County Domestic Violence Council worked quickly to line up housing for Alisa and her three boys, helping her with the deposit, as well as a gift card so she could buy some furniture. They also referred her to Southwestern Idaho Co-Op Housing, who were eventually able to get her a Housing Choice Voucher to help cover rent while she rebuilt her life. 

Five years later, Alisa has a stable job and owns her own home. 

“It took a lot of work and a lot of planning. I had friends. I had my family. It all worked out really well.”