Stop Violence Against Women
A project of The Advocates for Human Rights
Domestic Violence
General Information Best Practices Law and Policy Ongoing Developments
Human Trafficking
Human Trafficking Overview Training and Advocacy Ongoing Developments Sex Trafficking and Safe Harbor Resource Pack
Sexual Harassment
General Information Training and Advocacy Law and Policy Ongoing Developments
Sexual Assault
General Information Advocacy and Training Law and Policy Ongoing Developments
Other Forms of Violence Against Women
Crimes Committed in the Name of "Honor" Dowry-Related Violence Female Environmental Refugees Female Genital Mutilation Femicide Forced and Early Marriage Forced/Coerced Sterilization Gender-Based Asylum Harmful Practices Indigenous Women Maltreatment of Widows Son Preference Violence Against LGBT Women Violence Against the Girl Child Violence Against Women and HIV/AIDS Women and Armed Conflict Violence Against Women with Disabilities
Russian Site
  1. Home
  2. What's New

HUD Clarifies Ruling Concerning Domestic Abuse She

Thursday, October 28, 2004
On October 15 the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced that domestic violence shelters will not have to submit identifying information about their clients for a new national database. Nevertheless, shelters will be required to submit some encrypted information, in order to receive federal funds.

HUD originally planned to exempt victims of domestic violence in setting up the new Homeless Management Information Systems mandated by Congress, but later concluded that these victims are such a significant portion of the homeless population that the new system could not achieve its goal if they were excluded.

HUD’s guidelines issued in July requiring shelters to submit sensitive personal information about their clients created an outburst of controversy and protests by service providers and advocates.

In response to the protests, HUD issued the clarification meant to illustrate HUD’s commitment to protecting the confidentiality of those served by HUD programs. "Our concern for the safety of victims of domestic violence was key," said HUD Deputy Assistant Secretary for Special-Needs Assistance Patricia Carlile.

But advocates are not fully satisfied, arguing no level of encryption can prevent abusers from gaining access to the information system and the databases will continue to violate the core promise of confidentiality.

More information on the HUD regulation is available on the National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV) web site here.

Compiled from: Family Violence Prevention Fund News Flash, 28 October 2004.

For More Information

For more information, please visit the Domestic Abuse Victim Protection, Support and Assistance section of this website.

lg
md
sm