MCEDV, MECASA & Network Advocates, Legislators Hold Rally and Press Conference in Support of Victims’ Services

Yesterday, MCEDV, the Maine Coalition Against Sexual Assault, Pine Tree Legal Assistance, Legal Services for Maine Elders, legislators, advocates, and survivors held a rally and press conference at the Maine State House in support of funding for victims’ services in Maine.

Senator Anne Carney, sponsor of a bill to ensure the continuation of state funds to fill the roughly $6 million per year federal VOCA gap for victims’ services funding, led the conference.

“We often hear about improvements or changes that need to be made to systems. We don’t often hear about systems that are working really well, but Maine does have an incredible network of victims’ services to support thousands of survivors of violent crime each year across our state. Victims of Crime Act, or VOCA, funding supports these services.”

Other speakers included Representative and survivor Representative Nina Milliken; Representative Kristen Cloutier; survivors who have received critical services from Pine Tree Legal Assistance and NextStep Domestic Violence Project; Victim Witness Advocate Kim Westrich; and Assistant District Attorney Chelsea Lynds.

Survivor Christie Denzel, who received services from Next Step Domestic Violence Project, said “I had a court advocate as a domestic violence service in my mediations and my court cases. They were the glue that helped me get through it so I could have the courage to be in the same room as the person that I had tried so hard to escape.” Denzel now provides support to victims and survivors as a helpline volunteer: “Next Step Domestic Violence Project specifically helped me get my life back with their services. Now, as a volunteer, I can be on the other side of that helpline, and help victims become survivors.”

With gratitude to Governor Janet Mills and her team for proposing $3 million in ongoing state funding towards bridging the VOCA gap, MCEDV looks forward to collaborating with Governor Mills and the Maine Legislature to ensure that funding is allocated to sustain essential services for crime victims.

Learn more about the impact of the VOCA funding crisis in our VOCA Cuts Pager 2024-2025.