The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) 2022 National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey shows that 1 in 4 women and 1 in 10 men have experienced contact sexual violence, physical violence, or stalking by an intimate partner during their lifetime. Research indicates that programs that teach young people healthy relationship skills such as communication, effectively managing feelings, and problem-solving, can prevent violence. Hopefully, these skills can stop violence in dating relationships before it occurs. If our children are to face a future free from sexual violence, the Rape Prevention and Education program funding must increase significantly. According to a 2024 survey by the National Alliance to End Sexual Violence, nearly 58% of rape crisis centers experienced an increased demand for services; 43% have been forced to reduce staff; and 61% of programs lack a full-time therapist on staff. According to the National Network to End Domestic Violence’s 19th Annual Domestic Violence Counts Report (September 4, 2024), 79,088 victims of domestic violence received services in one day. However, on the same day, 14,095 requests for services went unmet due to a lack of funding and resources. Of those unmet requests for services, 60% were seeking emergency shelter, hotels, motels, transitional housing, and safety planning. Survivors and their children need a safe place to stay as they escape abuse and rebuild their lives.
On April 22, over 360 federal grants from the Department of Justice were suddenly terminated, disrupting the availability of emergency shelter, forensic exams, legal advocacy, and trauma counseling. Proposed reorganization at the Department of Justice and the Department of Health and Human Services, coupled with funding reductions proposed in the FY 2026 President’s budget, reduce the resources and effectiveness of the Office of Violence Against Women and the CDC rape prevention and domestic violence prevention programs, further weakening crisis hotlines and local programs in our communities. Survivors are being left without options at the worst moments in their lives. Funding reductions mean fewer resources for prevention, higher long-term costs for healthcare and criminal justice, and more communities left without the tools to stop violence before it starts. Any attempt to merge or absorb these programs into other offices jeopardizes specialized expertise and survivor-centered policymaking.
Federal funding is essential. When services are provided, our nation sees lower long-term costs, better public health, and safer communities. Rape crisis programs and domestic violence shelters form essential components of a comprehensive response to combating violent crime in our communities.