VOCA slashed: Victim service providers face crisis as federal funding is cut by 70%

MILWAUKEE (CBS58) — On Monday, Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul and victim service providers held a roundtable to talk about the struggles they're now facing.

Many of the providers are still scrambling after more than 70% of their federal funding was cut last year.

"I was molested by two of my mother's boyfriends at a young age," said Scott Kinderman, advocate and treasurer of BeLEAF.

It's a situation no one ever wants to find themselves in.

"It's important to me to help be a voice for the individuals who are experiencing this, because there wasn't a voice for me," said Kinderman.

However, if you do, advocates say you should have a place to turn to.

"Survivors had a very traumatic experience and then they're told they have to get on a waitlist to get therapy and heal, could be upwards of six months," Kinderman explained.

Scott Kinderman is an advocate and treasurer of BeLEAF, a sexual assault center in Racine. One of the many victim service providers around Wisconsin that say they're struggling to stay afloat.

"We went from having a person who could staff an office out there three days a week, down to we can only have a person there four hours a week," said Kinderman.

Attorney General Josh Kaul says the drop in funding is a nonpartisan issue.

"It began dropping in the first Trump administration, it stayed low and dropped during the Biden administration, so we don't anticipate that at least in the short-term it's going to increase dramatically," said Kaul.

For the last five years, federal funding, known as VOCA or Victims of Crime Act, has provided the majority of the $44 million that went to victim service programs in Wisconsin.

Back in October, VOCA grants were cut more than 70% to just $13 million.

President of Sojourner Family Peace Center Carmen Pitre says the need keeps increasing.

"Each year, our texting hotline has increased by 90%," said Pitre.

Sojourner lost $500,000 due to the VOCA cuts. Pitre says it's forced them to reimagine how they can provide their services.

"We will probably automate our hotline in the near future," said Pitre.

Now providers and legislators are hoping the state's budget surplus can fill the gap.

"We've got the money, there's a surplus of about $4 billion," Kaul explained.

The budget is expected to be finalized this summer.