Seite - 361 - in VULNERABLE - The Law, Policy and Ethics of COVID-19

361The Front Line Defence: Housing and Human Rights in the Time of COVID-19 Housing-led Responses Some communities have focused on transitioning people experienc- ing homelessness into temporary housing, such as hotel rooms. While some communities have provided access to housing for those on the streets, in many cases the provision of housing or hotel rooms has been temporary (e.g., three to six months) and is often not accompa- nied by a commitment to permanent housing post-pandemic. *** While the landscape continues to shift, it is not clear that these current policies will result in permanent housing for people who are homeless. To comply with domestic and international human rights housing obli- gations, all levels of government must immediately focus on adopting housing-led responses that result in access to permanent housing for those who are homeless. If not, the lessons learned from this pandemic will not result in greater safety for all when the next pandemic hits, and “staying home” will continue to be a privilege, not a right. Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence Intimate partner violence (IPV) was already a crisis in Canada prior to the arrival of COVID-19. IPV accounts for one of every four violent crimes reported to police in Canada, with research consistently indi- cating widespread underreporting.16 Despite the prevalence of this violence, national data indicates that violence against women (VAW) shelters have been systematically operating at or over capacity for years.17 The emergence of COVID-19 has exacerbated IPV globally, and Canada is no exception. Evidence indicates public health orders to “stay home” have contributed to IPV that is more violent, more fre- quent, and more dangerous, with United Nations Population Fund suggesting three months of quarantine will result in a 20% increase in IPV around the world.18 For many women, staying home means being 16. Statistics Canada, Family  Violence  in  Canada:  A  Statistical  Profile,  2011, by Marie Sinha, Catalogue No 85-002-X (Ottawa: Statistics Canada, 25 June 2013). 17. Statistics Canada, Canadian  Residential  Facilities  for  Victims  of  Abuse,  2017/2018, Catalogue No 11-001-X (Ottawa: Statistics Canada, 17 April 2019). 18. “Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Family Planning and Ending Gender- Based Violence, Female Genital Mutilation and Child Marriage” (27 April 2020),