City Partners With Airbnb To Help Those Fleeing Domestic Violence During Stay-At-Home Order
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Mayor Lori Lightfoot on Tuesday announced a partnership with Airbnb to support people who are fleeing violence during the coronavirus pandemic.
Airbnb is working through its hotel partners to provide places to stay for victims of violent situations, while also connecting them to resources. The program will be administered through the Illinois Domestic Violence hotline, which is available 24/7 every day of the year at (877) 863-6388 or TTY (877) 863-6339.
Also participating is the organization The Network: Advocating Against Domestic Violence.
RELATED: Chicago Sees An Uptick In Domestic Violence Calls During Coronavirus Outbreak
"We understand that the 'Stay at Home' order has the potential to exacerbate the already traumatic circumstances for Chicagoans experiencing violence at home, which is why the City of Chicago is continuing to collaborate with our partners to ensure that those who need refuge from violence have access to a safe place to stay," Mayor Lightfoot said in a news release. "This new partnership with Airbnb creates a key link for individuals fleeing violent situations by affording them immediate safe shelter and enabling them to take the next steps in their journey of recovery and growth."
The Mayor's office noted that during the month of March alone, calls to the Illinois Domestic Violence Hotline increased 6 percent compared with March of last year. The hotline also received 30 additional texts compared with March of last year.
On March 30, the hotline received 104 calls – the highest daily volume in more than a year. Chicago Police have also seen an increase of about 12 percent from January 1 through mid-April combined with the same period in 2019.
