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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, It is of utmost importance that we honor those who
3have fought and served for the freedom of our nation; and
 
4    WHEREAS, Many veterans returning from service suffer from
5physical and psychological ailments, which makes finding and
6maintaining employment and consistent housing difficult; and
 
7    WHEREAS, Nearly 80% of homeless veterans suffer from mental
8health disorders, substance abuse, or co-occurring disorders,
9with Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) being one of the
10largest mental health challenges for returning veterans; and
 
11    WHEREAS, Since the American Revolution, over 2.5 million
12American women have served, or are serving, honorably in the
13United States Armed Forces; and
 
14    WHEREAS, Currently, of the over 22 million veterans in the
15United States, 2.2 million are women; of the over 495,000
16unemployed veterans in the United States, approximately 23,000
17are women; of the over 47,000 homeless veterans in the United
18States, over 4,000 are women; and
 
19    WHEREAS, From 2016 to 2017, the number of homeless female
20veterans increased by seven percent, compared to the one

 

 

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1percent increase of their male counterparts; women veterans are
2two to three times more likely to be homeless than any other
3group in the United States adult population; homeless female
4veterans are the fastest-growing demographic in the homeless
5community; and
 
6    WHEREAS, One factor that contributes to this discrepancy is
7military sexual assault; the rate of violent sexual crimes
8within the military has increased by 64% since 2006; while
9women constitute only 14.6% of the military, they account for
1095% of reported military sexual assault victims; and
 
11    WHEREAS, Female veterans who are victims of military sexual
12assault are nine times more likely to develop PTSD and 6.5
13times more likely to experience homelessness; and
 
14    WHEREAS, Many victims of military sexual assault do not
15feel comfortable seeking help through the military resource of
16the Department of Veterans Affairs; an estimated 82% of women
17veterans do not use the Department of Veterans Affairs, leaving
18over 1.8 million women veterans without access to homeless
19prevention services; and
 
20    WHEREAS, Other factors in homelessness among female
21veterans include the lack of access to affordable childcare
22services, limited access to gender-specific services at

 

 

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1Veterans Affairs medical centers, and an increased risk for
2mental health disorders; and
 
3    WHEREAS, According to the United States Department of
4Veterans Affairs, over 55,000 women veterans reside in the
5state of Illinois; and
 
6    WHEREAS, In Illinois, 13% of our veterans are homeless,
7including 1,100 women veterans across the state; therefore, be
8it
 
9    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
10HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that the
11number of homeless female veterans is a tragedy and disgrace
12for the women who have so honorably served and protected our
13nation; and be it further
 
14    RESOLVED, That we pay honor to and recognize our homeless
15female veterans by designating October 7, 2018 as Homeless
16Women Veterans Day in the State of Illinois; and be it further
 
17    RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
18presented to the Department of Veterans Affairs, all members of
19the Illinois General Assembly, and the Governor of the State of
20Illinois.