Shelter is one of the most basic needs of any human being.
Shelter can mean many things: a warm place by the fire in the middle of a blizzard, a roof over your head, or the loving support of friends and family. Shelter and safety are what allow us to dream, to explore, to reach our full potential. They give us the space we need to rest, regroup, or rebuild; to focus on all of the other things that make life worth living.
For many victims of domestic or sexual violence, however, the safety that they deserve has been stolen from them. Shelters like Safe Passage, the domestic violence and rape crisis center for DeKalb County, step in during times of crisis to provide the shelter that allows survivors of abuse and violence to begin putting the pieces of their lives back together.
Unfortunately, as the Illinois budget stalemate drags on, our ability to provide that critical shelter -- and all the services that go beyond it -- is in jeopardy. While our politicians play chicken with the state's budget, the most vulnerable lives are on the line.
Without organizations like Safe Passage, our communities, our neighborhoods, our loved ones are at risk. We must demand that our politicians meet and pass a budget that fully funds domestic violence and sexual assault services.
I'm Mary Ellen Schaid, and that's my perspective.