Survivors Speak Out re: the Impact of VOCA-Funded Programs
On January 23, 2024, Maine survivors shared their stories with the Legislature’s Joint Standing Committee on Judiciary as part of the Public Hearing on LD 2084: An Act to Provide Funding for Essential Services for Victims of Crime.
Survivors spoke and wrote about how important services provided by domestic violence programs have been to them, and what they fear will happen, should those services not continue to be available in the future due to a 60% cut in funding from the federal Victims of Crime Act (VOCA).
MCEDV has compiled quotes and excerpts from their testimonies here.
Maine’s network of victim services provides critical, life-changing support to Mainers affected by a range of crimes. VOCA provides the biggest source of federal funding for the Domestic Violence Resource Center network, as well as providing important support for the Immigrant Resource Center of Maine, a culturally-specific member of MCEDV serving immigrant, refugee and asylum-seeking communities.
