"The mission of The Women's Safe House is to provide safe shelter and support services to battered women and their dependent children and to empower women to make informed choices about their futures. All services are free and confidential."
From the Executive Director
A few short weeks ago the domestic violence service providers in the state of Missouri were rocked with earth-shaking news: The House Appropriations Committee recommended a 50% cut in state domestic violence funding --- that’s $2.375 million dollars that would be removed from supporting Missouri’s abused women and their dependent children needing counseling services, shelter, food and hygiene products, health evaluations, tutoring, job placement assistance, case management, housing education, childcare, etc. To put this all in context, one in four women will experience domestic violence in her lifetime. The Women’s Safe House alone served 503 women and children in 2009 for a total of 17,693 nights of safety; the highest we have seen in our 33 year history of serving metro St. Louis.
Needless to say, as advocates in the movement to end violence against women, we could not stand for this devastating cut. Not after learning from our 2009 statewide service statistics that over 10,000 women and children received domestic violence resources, and over 9,300 were turned away due to capacity and funding constraints. This is the first time in the state’s history that victims served so closely aligned with victims we could not serve. We need to expand and enhance our services, not constrain and remove them.
After a couple weeks of joining forces to mobilize support for domestic violence services, through letters to the editor, candle-light vigils, appeals to decision-makers, and passionate phone calls, our state legislators listened. On Thursday, March 4th, state domestic violence funding was restored to its full $4.75 million by the House Budget Chairman, Alan Icet (R-Wildwood) in his Department of Social Services appropriations bill HB 2011. This bill will be the basis of House Budget Committee deliberations on the budgets for each state department. Those hearings will begin March 15th. In the midst of the most severe fiscal crisis the state has faced in decades, this achievement is a definitive testament to the power of activism and advocacy!
In other words, our fight is not over, but we have the attention of the state’s decision-makers. Much work lays ahead to reinforce the importance of this funding being restored as has been proposed by the House Budget Chairman. So while we can pause for a moment, catch our breaths, and celebrate this small victory…we need to keep the pressure up to protect this essential funding!
How can you help us? Contact legislators, write your local news editors, gather a group of friends and draft a letter of support for full restoration of our funding, donate to your local domestic violence service providers, etc. Any effort you can afford is a step in the right direction to protect Missouri’s women and children fleeing abuse, and to keep our doors open allowing us to serve these members of our community.
How to contact legislators:
House Budget Committee Members:
http://house.mo.gov.content.aspx?info=bills101/commit/com011.htm
Senate Appropriations Committee Members:
http://www.senate.mo.gov/10info/comm/aprp.htm
For a listing of all Senators:
http://www.senate.mo.gov/10info/senalpha.htm
For a listing of all Representatives:
http://www.house.mo.gov/member/aspx
Find Legislators by zip code:
www.moga.mo.gov and click on “Legislator Look-up”
Your message?
- The times are hard, but the decision is easy…vote for saving the lives of women and children.
- Protect domestic violence services funding, protect women and children in danger: safety is a priority.
- This is what the budget cuts will cost our community in terms of services and real people…share YOUR stories of domestic violence survivors you may know!
Sylvia Jackson
New Wish List items needed!
See what new items The Women's Safe House needs by clicking here to go to the Wish List page and looking for the highlighted items. We thank you for your generous support of The Women's Safe House.
