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Showing Original Post only (View all)Call police about domestic violence and get evicted [View all]
Last edited Thu Sep 26, 2013, 10:06 AM - Edit history (1)
Shut Up or Get Out: PA City Punishes Domestic Violence Victims Who Call the PoliceACLU
Last year in Norristown, Pa., Lakisha Briggs' boyfriend physically assaulted her, and the police arrested him. But in a cruel turn of events, a police officer then told Ms. Briggs, "You are on three strikes. We're gonna have your landlord evict you."
Yes, that's right. The police threatened Ms. Briggs with eviction because she had received their assistance for domestic violence. Under Norristown's "disorderly behavior ordinance," the city penalizes landlords and tenants when the police respond to three instances of "disorderly behavior" within a four-month period. The ordinance specifically includes "domestic disturbances" as disorderly behavior that triggers enforcement of the law.
After her first "strike," Ms. Briggs was terrified of calling the police. She did not want to do anything to risk losing her home. So even when her now ex-boyfriend attacked her with a brick, she did not call. And later, when he stabbed her in the neck, she was still too afraid to reach out. But both times, someone else did call the police. Based on these "strikes," the city pressured her landlord to evict. After a housing court refused to order an eviction, the city said it planned to condemn the property and forcibly remove Ms. Briggs from her home. The ACLU intervened, and the city did not carry out its threats, and even agreed to repeal the ordinance. But just two weeks later, Norristown quietly passed a virtually identical ordinance that imposes fines on landlords unless they evict tenants who obtain police assistance, including for domestic violence.
So, why stop at domestic violence? Child physical and sexual abuse should also be cause for eviction. After all, you are causing a nuisance when you report people beating and raping your kids.
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blame the victim of domestic violence on the person getting hit/punched/killed
CreekDog
Apr 2013
#34
what you're saying is if the perp gets in trouble, his victims need to be evicted
CreekDog
Apr 2013
#35
this is your position, quoted verbatim, it sounds like you don't want to take responsibility for it:
CreekDog
Apr 2013
#44
You're bending over backwards to defend someone who is calling for these people to be evicted
CreekDog
Apr 2013
#71
go where? she doesn't care, not one bit. well, she cares about the landlord and neighbors
CreekDog
Apr 2013
#69
Yeah, let's just make the children forced to witness said violence homeless.
strategery blunder
Apr 2013
#14
It's generally going to be the abuser who is breaking the terms of the lease...
strategery blunder
Apr 2013
#29
The first amendment has nothing to do with her renting a piece of private land.
NCTraveler
Apr 2013
#25
WTF? here's the 1st amendment issue...from the article that you did not read
noiretextatique
Apr 2013
#79
You've pretty much made the cops case for them by illustrating the decisions they face themselves
R B Garr
Apr 2013
#51
It is a very good idea. And one I believe many legislators would get behind in many states.
NCTraveler
Apr 2013
#62