Governor Newsom’s initial budget excludes funding for essential services supporting survivors of human trafficking, sexual assault, domestic violence, child abuse, and other types of violence.
SACRAMENTO, CA – In response to the Governor’s budget proposal excluding Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) funds, Grace Glaser of the California VOCA Advocacy Alliance issued the following statement:
“Governor Newsom and his administration did not provide funding for counseling, healthcare, shelter, and other essential services for survivors in its January budget proposal, despite the fact that in fiscal year 2022-2023 alone, the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services reported that nearly 1 million Californians accessed these essential services each year. Without $100 million to bridge an ongoing federal funding gap, Governor Newsom is endangering survivors with longer wait times, fewer shelter beds, and a lack of access to counseling and other services in the wake of experiencing violence.
Last year, Governor Newsom and other state leaders invested $100 million in one-time funding to keep hotlines open, access to legal counsel and mental health counseling available, and emergency housing accessible, among many other necessary programs that help survivors heal from and escape violence and abuse. This is enough to keep these programs afloat for a single fiscal year while we wait for the California Crime Victims Fund, which was recently established in 2024, to become strong enough to provide support on an ongoing basis.
In the meantime, the safety and well-being of the hundreds of thousands of Californians who may need those same services next year is in jeopardy unless state leaders continue to prioritize these essential services that thousands of our friends, family members, and neighbors depend on each year. The numbers are staggering– the 2023 CalVex study found that 1 in 30 California adults (3%) —almost 1 million— experienced physical or sexual intimate partner violence and more than 2.4 million Californians were victims of sexual harassment or assault in the past year. Every Californian is affected by this violence, and we must not leave our friends and family members without support at the most difficult times in their lives.
California survivors deserve to be safe: children who report abuse will need specially trained professionals for a forensic exam; LGBTQ+ survivors who experience sexual and domestic violence will need access to LGBTQ+-specific mental health care and life saving legal support; families who are fleeing domestic violence will need a safe place to live; survivors of trafficking who have experienced reproductive coercion will need assistance navigating complex healthcare systems after suffering a massive trauma. These survivors and the advocates who help them heal are at the heart of our budget ask.
Over 250 organizations are calling on Governor Newsom and the California Legislature to provide $100 million in this year’s budget. This funding provides lifelines for Californians who need immediate support in a crisis: disproportionately women, LGBTQ+ folks, and Black, Indigenous & Native, and People of Color.
The California VOCA Alliance urges Governor Newsom, Senate President pro Tempore Monique Limón, Speaker Robert Rivas, and legislators from both parties to allocate $100 million to support lifesaving care for survivors of crime. We must continue to keep California survivors safe.”
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About the California VOCA Alliance
The California VOCA Advocacy Alliance consists of over 250 statewide and local organizations dedicated to supporting survivors of crime, advocates, and their communities. Our large coalition represents over 400 programs across the state, and works to advance the rights of survivors of trafficking, child abuse, domestic violence, sexual assault, and others. With a common goal to fearlessly advocate for our communities, we center equitable access to victim services in our decisions.