The country\u2019s longest shutdown highlighted funding insecurities and strains for many domestic violence prevention organizations, at the state and local level, reliant on federal grants.<\/p>\n
The Violence Against Women Act, passed in 1994, was not renewed in December when the federal government shutdown. The partial shutdown, stemming from disputes over President Donald Trump\u2019s proposed southern border wall, lasted through Jan. 25. Domestic violence and sexual assault services, many of which are dependent on federal funding, were sent into a period of uncertainty.<\/p>\n
\u201cOriginally, they thought they could only keep staff going until the 18th of January,\u201d said Cindy Southworth, executive vice president of the National Network to End Domestic Violence. \u201cLocal providers were panicked and looking to do furloughs.\u201d<\/p>\n
Carryover funds from the Justice Department were eventually secured to keep VAWA from lapsing through March 1, Southworth said. But the 35 days of the government shutdown put an additional strain on organizations already working in low-funded, high-stakes situations.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt causes a lot of stress for people who are already dealing with people in crisis,\u201d said Amy Pohl, associate director of Colorado\u2019s statewide domestic violence coalition, Violence Free Colorado.<\/p>\n
The uncertainty surrounding funding during the shutdown was felt on a professional and personal level for those working at domestic violence organizations.<\/p>\n
\u201cMost of the frontline victim advocates are seriously underpaid. So it\u2019s not like they have a buffer in their checking accounts if they miss a paycheck,\u201d Southworth said.<\/p>\n
Throughout the shutdown, organizations like Violence Free Colorado were fielding concerns from both service providers and survivors of domestic violence seeking help.<\/p>\n
\u201cA lot of people read into (the shutdown) that we\u2019re closed and don\u2019t have services,\u201d Pohl said. But Violence Free Colorado, like most domestic violence service providers, remained open throughout the partial shutdown.<\/p>\n
For Kim Zook, executive director of Alternative Horizons in Durango, the government shutdown did not impact her organization\u2019s operating ability.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are providing services and responding to clients exactly the same as we have in the past,\u201d Zook said during the shutdown.<\/p>\n
While the federal government has been reopened through Feb. 15, it is uncertain when VAWA will officially be reauthorized. This uncertainty has left many providers recalling the last time the act lapsed.<\/p>\n