A new report from the Ohio Domestic Violence Network warns that Ohio’s housing crisis is trapping abuse survivors in dangerous situations, as soaring rental prices make it harder to escape violence at home.
The network’s 2025 Fatality Report found 157 people were killed in domestic violence-related incidents last year, continuing a troubling upward trend. Of those deaths, 80 percent involved firearms, a statistic advocates say underscores both the severity of the crisis and the growing connection between intimate partner violence and gun access.
“The cost of rent has become a barrier to safety,” said ODVN Executive Director Mary O’Doherty. “Survivors tell us they can’t afford to leave. If a safe apartment costs more than their entire paycheck, they end up staying with their abuser.”
According to the report, survivors seeking help increasingly cite rising housing costs and limited shelter space as reasons they are unable to relocate. Average rental prices across Ohio climbed more than 20 percent in the past two years, outpacing wage growth and leaving many without viable housing alternatives.
Advocates warn that without additional funding for affordable housing and supportive services, more survivors could face deadly consequences. The report calls on lawmakers to expand housing assistance programs, invest in emergency shelter capacity, and strengthen firearms restrictions for domestic violence offenders.
In one case highlighted by ODVN, a mother of two in central Ohio remained in an abusive household for months after failing to secure an apartment despite working full-time. She was later hospitalized after a violent assault that could have been prevented if affordable housing had been available, the report notes.
“We can’t separate the housing crisis from domestic violence anymore,” O’Doherty said. “When victims can’t afford to leave, their lives are at stake.”
The Ohio Domestic Violence Network urged communities, landlords and policymakers to address the overlap between economic insecurity and personal safety, calling housing “a cornerstone of survival.”