Dozens of people brought signs to the State House to show support for victims services funding. Photo by Eesha Pendharkar
A domestic violence survivor who called a 24/7 helpline and cried for an hour, feeling it was the first time someone listened to her. A parent looking for protection from her and her son’s abuser who sought help from a crisis center. And a deputy district attorney who used testimony collected at the Children’s Advocacy Center to prosecute a grandfather who sexually abused his 10-year-old grandchild.
These, and many others were able to seek help through victim services, which are again at risk this year due to lack of funding.
At a packed press conference in the Maine State House on Tuesday, survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault spoke about the lifesaving role of victim advocates and services. Dozens of supporters stood on the staircase in the Hall of Flags, holding signs that read “Maine needs advocates,” and “Fund services for survivors, we need you.”
The local services are federally funded through the Victims of Crime Act, known as VOCA. But for the second year in a row, that funding has fallen short, forcing the state to make up the deficit or risk losing staff who support Mainers facing trauma, such as domestic violence, sexual assault, or the Lewiston mass shooting.
In Maine, VOCA funds sexual assault support centers, children’s advocacy centers, domestic violence resource centers, Pine Tree Legal services, legal services for Maine elders and the Elder Abuse Institute of Maine, as well as the victim witness advocates in the Office of the Attorney General and in local district attorney offices, Department of Corrections victim services staff, and court-appointed special advocates.
In the past, VOCA funding has contributed approximately $9 million to these agencies and organizations. Last year, Maine only received $3 million from the federal government, but Gov. Janet Mills approved another $6 million.
But this funding is again at risk, prompting advocates to call for the passage of a bill from Sen. Anne Carney (D-Cape Elizabeth), similar to the one that passed last year to secure the state funding.
However, in light of a projected $450 million shortfall, Mills has proposed allocating only $3 million in her proposed biennium budget released late last week.
With more people relying on victim services, that is not enough, according to Elizabeth Ward Saxl, the executive director of the Maine Coalition Against Sexual Assault. Last year, the group saw a 9% increase in demand for support.
“The idea of having reduced staff with increased demand and services getting more and more expensive to provide just feels so hard,” Ward Saxl said. “Staff are already asked to do so much, like being on call, 24/7. We just really can’t lose this funding.”
‘Lifesaving’ services for survivors
Christie Denzel, a survivor of domestic violence, spent many years untangling herself and her children from an abusive relationship. After hitting what she described as rock bottom, she called a hotline and said she felt heard for the first time.
“It felt like it was one of the first times someone really listened to me, and I barely said a thing,” she said.
Denzel joined a support group and entered into negotiations to separate her life from her abuser. In those mediations, she relied on her court advocate who she described as the glue that held her together. Now, she volunteers with the helpline, offering support to those who were once in her position.
Another survivor, Natasha Ricker, spoke about relying on the Sexual Assault Crisis & Support Center and Pine Tree Legal services to seek justice for her son who was sexually abused. Like Denzel, she said she found crucial support through the crisis center and her legal team.
“They checked in on my child, and most importantly, made me feel safe and made my family feel safe during a time when our sense of safety and security had been completely shattered,” Ricker said.
“If anyone finds themselves dealing with domestic violence or sexual abuse, I hope they can access the same kind of support that I was fortunate enough to receive,” she said, noting this included everything from emotional support on court days, to referrals to mental health services, to someone to talk with when she felt like she was having a breakdown. “I want them to experience a sense of safety after being violated. If funding is cut to these programs, it will be a tremendous loss for our community.”
Rep. Nina Milliken, a Democrat from Blue Hill, worked in sexual assault services for many years. During the press event, she urged fellow lawmakers to support Carney’s bill, emphasizing her own experience and the impact of the crisis centers and 24/7 helplines.
“It is often the difference between despair and a path forward for somebody in crisis,” she said. “If this Legislature fails to act, these services, the safety nets that they provide could disappear, and if that happens, the bottoms will fall out for thousands of survivors.”
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