housing options for themselves and their families. (12) Domestic and sexual violence survivors continue to face discrimination in securing and maintaining housing based on their status as survivors and as a result of crimes committed against them. (13) Research by the Attorney General of the State of New York found that sixty-seven percent of domestic violence survivors reported that discrimination by landlords is a significant obstacle in obtaining housing. (14) Research also shows that survivors of domestic violence or sexual assault are commonly denied housing opportunities if a previous residence of the survivor was a domestic violence shelter, if the survivor has secured a protective order, or if there is other evidence that the survivor has experienced a previous domestic violence incident. (15) Studies show that survivors of domestic violence or sexual assault often face eviction based on a single domestic violence incident. (16) Survivors of sex trafficking face additional challenges in obtaining and maintaining housing due to criminal records incurred as a direct result of their exploitation. (17) It is in the public interest to ensure that survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, sex trafficking, dating violence, stalking, and other forms of intimate partner and gender-based violence are not discriminated against, particularly with respect to housing, based on their status as victims of the crimes committed against them. 3. Survivors of domestic violence or sexual assault as protected class under the fair housing act (a) In general The Fair Housing Act ( 42 U.S.C. 3601 et seq. ) is amended— (1) in section 802 ( 42 U.S.C. 3602 ), by adding at the end the following: (p) Domestic violence — (1) has the meaning given the term in section 40002(a) of the Violence Against Women Act of 1994 ( 34 U.S.C. 12291(a) )