The lapse comes as the Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women withholds $150 million in taxpayer dollars meant to be distributed in fiscal 2025 to help survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking and trafficking.
The 19th reached out to over 250 organizations and municipalities that had previously received funding from the Office on Violence Against Women to ask how the delay in fiscal 2025 funds and the stalling of fiscal 2026 grant applications has impacted them. The 48 that responded shared stories of layoffs, diminished services for survivors and sacrifices among advocates, who have taken voluntary pay cuts to make sure survivors get the life-saving support they need.
How a missing $150 million is impacting domestic violence services
These organizations are already chronically underfunded.