House LHHS Appropriations Subcommittee Passes $10 Million Increase for Battered Women's Shelters

Domestic violence advocates across the country are lauding the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education (LHHS) Subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee for approving a $10 million increase in funding for battered women's shelters in their Subcommittee mark-up yesterday. The increased funding for the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act (FVPSA) would help keep domestic violence shelters open so that victims and their children can find safety and support to flee abusive homes. The proposed increase to $134.7 million is particularly significant because a percentage of funds above $130 million will be dedicated to services for children exposed to domestic violence.

"In this tight fiscal climate, the House of Representatives continues to demonstrate its commitment to ending domestic violence. We thank Chairman David Obey (D-WI), Ranking Member James Walsh (R-NY) and the members of the Appropriations Committee for making FVPSA funding a priority," said Sue Else, President of the National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV). "Increased funding means better resources for our communities to respond to domestic violence. By investing in ending and preventing domestic violence, Congress will save billions of dollars and countless lives."

NNEDV also recognizes Representatives Lois Capps (D-CA) and Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), Co-Chairs of the Congressional Caucus for Women's Issues, and Representatives Jim Costa (D-CA) and Ted Poe (R-TX), Co-Chairs of the Victims' Rights Caucus, for their leadership mobilizing these caucuses and other Members of Congress to advocate for increased VAWA funding, including FVPSA.

FVPSA supports the life-saving emergency shelters, crisis lines, counseling, victim assistance and programs for underserved communities provided by local domestic violence programs. These programs are the heart of our nation's response to domestic violence and they require increased funding to serve the growing number of requests they receive each year.

According to NNEDV's National Census of Domestic Violence Services (NCDVS), nearly 50,000 adults and children received services from these programs in one 24-hour period from domestic violence programs. But tragically, over 5,000 requests for services went unmet on that day because programs lacked the resources to respond.

"Every year more victims become aware of services and gain the courage to seek help, increasing the demand for domestic violence programs. Last year, calls to the National Domestic Violence Hotline increased 15%," said Else. "The $10 million increase in FVPSA funding would help domestic violence programs better meet this rising demand and provide critical services."

Once FVPSA appropriations reach $130 million, a percentage would be dedicated to children's services. As many as 10 million children witness domestic violence every year and NCDVS found that 18,039 children were served by domestic violence programs in one day alone.

"Services for children are vital to our efforts to end domestic violence. Children need services to cope with the trauma they have experienced and to break the cycle of violence," said Else. "With safety provided for the non- abusive parent and intervention for the children, families are able to become autonomous from perpetrators of domestic violence and children are able to thrive.

"We know that many Members of Congress worked together with the LHHS Subcommittee to help secure this increase," said Else. "The leadership of these Members of Congress will make a difference in the lives of individual victims as well as help prevent future violence."

The full House Appropriations Committee is expected to vote on the LHHS appropriations bill on June 14, and the bill is tentatively scheduled to reach the House floor on June 21. The Senate is expected to set their recommendations for FVPSA funding later this summer.

There are over 2,000 community-based domestic violence programs for battered women and children, providing emergency shelter to approximately 300,000 women and children every year. Local domestic violence programs also provide non-residential services such as counseling, legal assistance, and prevention education to millions of men, women, and children each year.

National Network to End Domestic Violence

The National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV) is a membership and advocacy organization representing the 53 state and U.S. territory domestic violence coalitions. NNEDV is the voice of these coalitions, their more than 2,000 local domestic violence member programs, and the millions of domestic violence survivors who turn to them for services. In 2000 and 2005, NNEDV members across the country played a crucial role in the reauthorization of VAWA. Through its extensive state and grassroots network, NNEDV continues to mobilize a powerful constituency to make their voices heard by policymakers. For more information, please visit http://www.nnedv.org.