Domestic violence agencies ask state to cover federal shortfall

ANCHORAGE (AP) - Some Alaska agencies that work with victims of domestic violence and sexual assault are expecting large federal funding cuts to take effect when the fiscal year starts on July 1 — so they are asking the Legislature for help.

Suzi Pearson, director of Anchorage-based Abused Women’s Aid in Crisis, said she was surprised by the extent of the cuts announced by the State Council on Domestic Abuse and Sexual Assault.

“When we were told 30 to 33%, I think we all kind of stopped breathing,” Pearson said.

The reductions are the result of federal funding cuts to the Victims of Crime Act program. The money to fund the program comes from penalties and fines paid in criminal settlements of white-collar crimes. But the number of those settlements

fell significantly during the administration of President Donald Trump, and the fund balance has been on a steady decline since 2017.

The federal money first goes to the Alaska Council on

Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault, which then distributes the money in grants to agencies and nonprofit groups

around the state. For many agencies, it’s their main source of funding.

State Council Director Diane Casto said the federal funds for Alaska have declined from a high of $7.9 million in 2018 to a projected low of $2.6 million for 2021.

Groups that aid domestic violence victims have requested $6 million from the Legislature to fix the problem. Lawmakers are working on next year’s budget, with a final spending plan anticipated next month.

“Alaska continues to have the highest rates of domestic violence and sexual violence around the country and we need these services,” Casto said. “They are critical.”

Casto said the cuts would hurt dozens of groups across the state, including organizations that focus on child abuse, mental health and victim’s compensation.

Bethel’s domestic violence shelter could be forced to close, Eileen Arnold, executive director of the Tundra Women’s Coalition, testified at the Alaska Legislature’s House Finance Committee last week.

In the long term, Castro said Congress is looking at a bill that would make changes to the funding formula so that more money will be available for programs that help victims. It passed the U.S. House last month and is awaiting Senate consideration.