Governor Newsom’s May budget does not include enough funding for essential victim services supporting survivors of human trafficking, sexual assault, domestic violence, child abuse, and other types of violence, despite the Senate’s and Assembly’s plans to fully fund these programs.
SACRAMENTO, CA – In response to the Governor’s revised budget proposal including $25 million in crime victim services rather than the needed $100 million, Chris Negri of the California Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) Advocacy Alliance issued the following statement:
“In a budget plan released today, Governor Newsom and his administration included some but not sufficient funding for victim services. The inclusion of $25 million in the May Revise is a positive step forward, but it will not be nearly enough to sustain the vital programs on which survivors depend. As the Governor’s May Revise noted, this $25 million would ‘alleviate’ service level reductions, but it would not eliminate the need for reductions. We call on the Governor to work with the Legislature to fully fund counseling, healthcare, shelter, and other essential services for survivors of crime with $100 million for victim services in the final budget.
The Department of Justice, Office for Victims of Crime reported that this funding serves nearly 700,000 survivors of crime. The $25 million proposed by the Governor today is insufficient to sustain these numbers. Without $100 million to bridge an ongoing federal funding gap, survivors will face longer wait times, fewer shelter beds, and a lack of access to counseling and other services in the wake of experiencing violence.
Last month, Governor Newsom stated that survivors of violence deserve to be heard, believed, and supported, and that California is prioritizing survivor-centered policies so individuals can be met with comprehensive care, expanded pathways to justice, and the dignity they deserve. Achieving this goal is only possible with full funding for victim services.
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 will only keep these programs afloat until June 30th. The California Crime Victims Fund, which was established in 2024, has yet 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 are in jeopardy unless Governor Newsom recognizes, as he did last year, the need for $100 million in state funding for victims and continues to prioritize these essential services that thousands of our friends, family members, and neighbors depend on each year.
The Senate budget plan, Assembly budget plan, and Legislative Women’s Caucus priorities include a recommendation to fund these essential programs, demonstrating the widespread support of the Legislature in ensuring that survivors’ safety net stays intact.
The Senate, Assembly, and Legislative Women’s Caucus agree. Survivors of crime agree. California survivors deserve to be safe: children who report abuse need specially trained professionals for forensic services; LGBTQ+ survivors who experience sexual and domestic violence need access to LGBTQ+-specific mental health care and life saving legal support; families who are fleeing domestic violence need a safe place to live; survivors of trafficking who have experienced reproductive coercion need assistance navigating complex healthcare systems after suffering a massive trauma, and sexual assault survivors will need immediate support after being attacked. These survivors and the advocates who help them heal are at the heart of this budget ask.
Over 300 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 Advocacy Alliance urges Governor Newsom to align with the Legislature and provide the $100 million that California needs to support lifesaving care for survivors of crime in the June final budget. We must continue to keep California survivors safe.”
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About ValorUS®: ValorUS® (VALOR) is a California-based, national anti-violence organization and California’s sexual assault coalition committed to advancing equity and ending sexual violence. Since our founding in 1980, we have continued to build dynamic relationships across a diverse range of communities, institutions and systems, and mobilize our network of survivors and advocates to influence change. Through leadership, prevention, and advocacy, we are fearlessly pursuing a world free from violence where the dignity of every person is valued and respected. For more information, visit valor.us.
About the California Partnership to End Domestic Violence:The California Partnership to End Domestic Violence (the Partnership) works to prevent and end domestic violence in California by mobilizing over 1,000 survivors, advocates, organizations, and allies. Via public policy, prevention, communications, and community-based strategic engagement, we strive to build healthy relationships at all levels by eliminating the injustices which perpetuate cycles of violence, elevating and expanding opportunities for innovative solutions that center survivors, and building and funding support for local programs. For more information, visit cpedv.org.
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. For more information, visit FundSurvivors.com.