Current law allows for survivors of domestic violence to abandon a lease early.
But if a survivor of sexual assault who is not in a relationship with the abuser asks to be released from his or her rental agreement, and a landlord refuses, the survivor has no choice but to continue paying rent until the lease ends.
Freeman’s bill would extend the right to abandon the lease to include survivors of abuse who are not in an intimate relationship with their abuser.
Freeman said that it is not only necessary for the safety of many survivors to terminate a lease early, as their abusers often know where they live, but also for their healing.
Bill allowing survivors of sexual assault to terminate leases early moves forward
Kathleen Peppo/LSU Manship School News Service
LSU student Isabella Rovere, left, shared a personal experience with sexual assault as she sat alongside fellow LSU student Angelina Cantelli, Co-President of Tigers Against Sexual Assault.
By: Kathleen Peppo
LSU Manship School News Service
Posted at 4:06 PM, Apr 14, 2021
and last updated 2021-04-14 17:06:55-04
BATON ROUGE A bill to allow survivors of sexual assault to terminate housing leases early moved forward Wednesday.
Rep. Aimee Freeman (D-New Orleans), who brought the bill, said that she did so for the sake of all sexual assault survivors, but especially for college students who are victims of sexual assault.
Baton Rouge / louisianaradionetwork.com
Apr 14, 2021 6:01 PM
The House Civil Law Committee unanimously approved legislation allowing victims of sexual assault to break their rental leases early.
Tigers against Sexual Assault Co-President Angelina Cantelli said the legislation, by New Orleans Representative Aimee Freeman, is vital for assault survivors.
“One thing that consistently comes up is how inhibiting it can be to have to visit or have to live in the environment where they were assaulted,” said Cantelli. “It is rightfully distressing and can often cause flashbacks.”
There currently is a law allowing early termination but only in the case of domestic violence incidents. The definition of sexual assault in this bill includes acts of obscenity, abuse, and voyeurism.
Current law allows for survivors of domestic violence to abandon a lease early.
But if a survivor of sexual assault who is not in a relationship with the abuser asks to be released from his or her rental agreement, and a landlord refuses, the survivor has no choice but to continue paying rent until the lease ends.
Freeman’s bill would extend the right to abandon the lease to include survivors of abuse who are not in an intimate relationship with their abuser.
Freeman said that it is not only necessary for the safety of many survivors to terminate a lease early, as their abusers often know where they live, but also for their healing.