Maine Crime victims could lose the security network of services without major state investments

May 13 – Working in Maine to work in public services for those who flee from domestic violence and sexual abuse this year without more state and federal funds.

A large part of this work-based system of 24-hour helplines, emergency accommodation, advocacy and free legal representation towards survivors-Hat in the past on federal funds and some state funds in almost the same year per year.

After these federal dollars are either sinking or are questionable, the supporters fear that a network that is already in overdrive could fall apart.

Maine's legislators weigh several emergency invoices in this meeting to compensate for predictable federal cuts. Some laws – including proposals to increase the financing of centers for domestic violence and sexual assault services – have failed in previous meetings. And this is a difficult year for the state budget, so it is still unclear what will actually happen.

“On many occasions, the state has articulated the importance of the services for surviving domestic violence that our network provides, but it has not managed to invest a reasonable number of state funds to ensure the sustainability of these services,” said Amanda, the director of Partners for Peace, an Advocacy center for domestic violent violent in Bangor, the Lawmakern in March.

“If we are forced to continue in this way, the safety net will harm, to the survivor and our communities are relying on to rely on.”

The Maine Department of Health and Human Services does not yet know the final money supply that the Federal Government should receive, spokesman Lindsay Hammes said on Friday. Without this number, said Hammes, you do not yet know how much money you will miss the victim service provider.

Not enough

Since the last state increased the budget for these services in 2019, Francine Garland said strongly that the Maine Coalition to end domestic violence and half of its volunteers for their eight regional resource centers had lost.

The Maine coalition has plagued a similar topic against sexual assault, the hubs and child representatives who work with children who have experienced sexual abuse. After a law in the last session failed to increase the salary at the basic level for lawyers for sexual assault to $ 45,000, her political director Melissa Martin said that almost half of the people who occupied their centers for the centers.

“I think our centers are constantly facing the choice of cutting positions or cutting services,” said Martin. In order to prioritize crisis services such as the hotline, some centers had to scale the educational programs at schools, support groups for survivors and public relations in local health facilities.

“The Outreach piece, I think this is one of the areas that are most worrying,” said Martin. “It closes a way to use people in the crises to be connected to these services.”

A number of other agencies that also support the victims, including the providers of civil law, also consists in losing funds and needing government investments.

Next step, one of the advocacy of domestic violence in the counties Washington and Hancock, said they had to reduce personal interests so that they could keep the telephone lines open. They have also dropped from two full -time claws to one, and it risks to lose a child protection service this autumn without further financing.

“Our community will continue to have this need for all of our crisis services,” said director Kelly Brown in March. “And we know that if our services are not available, we are forced to stay in the creepy situation or to go, but feel forced, to return and not to find a way to live alone and to give the abusive partner more power.”

In York County, the caring unlimited personnel can only accompany victims to the courthouse in situations with high risk. They also had to do a parents -support program that connects children with special services and offers families training.

“The victimization of domestic violence is at the interface of so many other important questions in our communities – abuse and neglect of children, homelessness, unemployment and underemployment as well as public health,” said unlimited director Susan Giambalvo in March.

“Without increased investments in services for domestic violence, more victims do not receive any service that they need the most urgent,” said Giambalvo. “Maybe you don't even know that help is available.”

Federal effects

These service providers rely on federal funds through the US victim of Crimes Act, which has collected less money due to fines and fees from the convictions due to federal crimes.

As a result of this uncertainty, Stark said that the coalition is looking forward to whether the legislature would approved two emergency invoices.

A draft law in the health and human service committee would offer 4 million US dollars for McEDV centers annually.

A bill in the Justice Committee proposes 1.8 million US dollars annually for sexual assault support centers and children's representation centers. Another legislation offers around 6 million US dollars annually for the coalition of domestic violence and other providers who have traditionally rely on Voca funds.

Stark said they focused the most on comparing lost voca financing. This decline is not bound to an administration. However, there are also concerns that other federal granting about the Ministry of Justice may not be available.

“This whole concept of a” security network “is a real thing. If you take out one of these topics, the network can be disguised,” said Stark. “If you are the last, but none of the other services, your ability to really help a person is really limited to what you actually have, the actual ability to offer. And none of us offers everything. We need each other.”

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How to get help

If you or someone you know have experienced domestic violence, you can call the nationwide domestic abuse helplins under 1-866-834-4357 to talk to someone who can help. You can find out more online here.

If you or someone you know have experienced sexual abuse, you can call the nationwide crisis for sexual assault under number 1-800-871-7741 to talk to someone who can help. You can find out more online here.

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