John,

If Congress doesn’t act soon, support services for domestic violence and sexual assault victims will be slashed and some service providers would be forced to close.

Stagnant―or decreased―funding endangers survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault, while demand skyrockets. During the lockdown phase of the coronavirus pandemic, the U.S. saw an 8.1% increase in domestic violence incidents―and the number hasn’t gone down.¹ Several states and cities have seen an increase in domestic violence incidents and calls to hotlines, with Illinois experiencing a 90% increase over pre-pandemic levels.²

The need for lasting support for victims is increasing and Congress must act now. Send a direct message to Congress demanding they restore funding to the Victims Of Crime Act to $1.9 billion and work toward sustainability for the Crime Victims Fund.

The Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) uses money from the Crime Victims Fund (CVF) to fund services at domestic violence shelters, rape crisis centers, and child abuse treatment programs. The CVF is funded by fines and penalties from federal prosecutions―not with taxpayer money. Due to shrinking deposits in the CVF, state programs have been forced to make drastic cuts to their programs, negatively impacting more than 6 million crime victims annually.³

From FY2023 to FY2024, VOCA withstood a $600 million cut―40% of its budget.

Congress must provide $1.9 billion for VOCA programs in FY25 to address the urgent needs of victims of crime. Additionally, these three programs under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) need critical funding:

• Sexual Assault Services Program is the first federal funding mechanism solely dedicated to providing direct services to victims of sexual assault. A report by Congress revealed that more than 55,000 survivors of sexual assault were served and 300 advocacy positions supported by the funding.[4]

• With rents skyrocketing, the Transitional Housing Program is a lifeline for many people escaping domestic and sexual violence. The program provides victims with 6-24 months of housing and access to supportive services so they can achieve stability. Without this program, many victims would be forced to return to their abusers or face homelessness.

• The Legal Assistance for Victims (LAV) Program is the only federally funded program developed to meet the legal needs of victims. Legal services are the second-most requested need of victims. Many survivors don’t have the financial means to afford to pay lawyers to represent them in legal and/or civil matters regarding their abusers.

• Other VAWA programs at the Department of Justice - together, VAWA funding streams support comprehensive, specialized services to victims of domestic and sexual violence.

We know that the impact of these cuts to services for survivors of domestic and sexual violence will fall hardest on rural communities, low-income communities, LGBTQ communities, and communities of color. Potentially tens of millions of victims nationwide will lose access to lifesaving and life-sustaining child abuse, domestic violence, sexual assault, elder abuse, and other victim services, which will not only be felt by individuals and families, but also in communities.

We’re joining our coalition partners in calling on Congress to provide $1.15 billion for the Violence Against Women Act programs, including $100 million each for the Sexual Assault Services Program, Transitional Housing Program, and the Legal Assistance for Victims Program.

Join us by sending a message to Congress today, telling them to restore funding to the Victims of Crime Act and increase funding to the Violence Against Women Act.

Thank you for all you do,

Deborah Weinstein
Executive Director, CHN Action

¹ New Analysis Shows 8% Increase in U.S. Domestic Violence Incidents Following Pandemic Stay-At-Home Orders
² Illinois domestic violence hotline calls increase 90% compared to pre-pandemic levels
³ Funding to End Domestic Violence: FY25 Appropriations Requests
⁴ Sexual Assault Services Formula Grant Program