OLYMPIA, January 27– Advocates from every corner of Washington State are urging legislators to take bold action to stabilize critical services for victims of crime. Without immediate and sustained funding, essential programs that support over 52,000 crime victims annually are at risk of closure.
For years, victim service providers have faced growing instability due to drastic declines in funding from the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA). VOCA, a federal program funded through fines and fees from federal prosecutions, has decreased by over 50% since 2018. This drop has forced providers to take on overwhelming caseloads, make survivors wait for help, or even close their doors. Despite temporary funding from the state legislature, which totals $64 million over the past four years, the current $20.6 million allocation will expire in June 2025, leaving services at a breaking point.
“We’re at a crisis point,” said Judy Chen, Executive Director of the Washington State Coalition Against Domestic Violence. “When survivors encounter waitlists or closed doors, they are forced to remain in dangerous situations, unable to access the help they need. Stabilizing these services is a matter of life or death for families across Washington.”
Advocates are calling for state legislators to commit to ongoing funding to ensure that no survivor is turned away due to budget shortfalls. Senator Manka Dhingra has sponsored SB 5362 and Representative Lauren Davis has sponsored HB 1487, which would provide stable, long-term funding for crime victim services across the state. These bills propose funding the Office of Crime Victims Advocacy (OCVA) crime victim’s program at $50 million in the upcoming biennium and increasing that investment to $70 million in future years. These funds sustain vital services such as counseling, child forensic interviews (safe, specialized sessions for children to share their experiences), emergency housing, legal advocacy, and compensation for crime victims.
Stories Highlight the Impact of Cuts
- In rural areas, children must travel hundreds of miles for interviews or therapy due to lack of local services.
- Survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault are left waiting for help, jeopardizing their safety and recovery.
- Programs can’t meet the growing need for immediate support, leaving survivors to navigate complex systems alone.
“Imagine telling a child’s guardian there’s no help available in their community,” said Paula Reed, Executive Director of the Children’s Advocacy Centers of Washington. “Without state intervention, countless survivors will face a lifetime of unaddressed trauma.”
Advocates Across the State Unite for Action This call to action follows a December rally at Seattle Center, where hundreds gathered to demand stabilization funding for crime victim services. Advocates emphasized the need for a unified state response to address these funding gaps and protect survivors across all communities, particularly marginalized and rural populations.
Upcoming efforts include a statewide legislative advocacy day on February 11 in Olympia, where domestic violence advocates and survivors will meet with legislators to share stories and urge action. Supporters are encouraged to join a social media campaign and contact their legislators to demand stable funding for crime victims.
Survivors Deserve a Reliable Safety Net “It takes courage for survivors to come forward, and they deserve a well-funded system to support them,” said Amarinthia Torres, Co-Executive Director of the Coalition Ending Gender-Based Violence. “We cannot let budget shortfalls put their safety and recovery at risk.”
Advocates remain hopeful that legislators will step up to stabilize this critical safety net, ensuring survivors of violence and trauma receive the support they need to heal and rebuild their lives.
For media inquiries, please contact Sherrie Tinoco, Acting Director of Public Policy at 360-751-3471 or sherrie@wscadv.org.
About the Washington State Coalition Against Domestic Violence
Founded in 1990 by survivors of domestic violence and their allies, the Washington State Coalition Against Domestic Violence (WSCADV) is a non-profit network of over 70 domestic violence advocacy programs across the state of Washington. WSCADV improves how communities respond to domestic violence and works to create a world where all people can live and love without fear. WSCADV’s work includes engaging the public to prevent domestic violence, producing educational tools, training and technical assistance for domestic violence advocacy programs, and policy advocacy. To learn more, please visit wscadv.org.