Federal shutdown threatens programs for sexual assault victims

By ALEXANDRA GLORIOSO 01/09/2019 03:21 PM EST

Programs to help thousands of sexual assault victims could be without funding by Friday if a federal government shutdown continues, an advocacy group said.

The 28 Florida counseling and crisis intervention groups that receive grant money from the U.S. Department of Justice's Crime Victims Fund will stop receiving those payments Friday, said Courtney Nomina, a spokesperson for the Florida Council Against Sexual Violence.

If the shutdown continues, at least eight programs will cut staff in the next three weeks, Nomina said Wednesday. By early February, five more will cut services. A total of 188 salaries are paid through the grant, which is financed through criminal penalties.

“In the wake of the #MeToo movement, programs are experiencing increased demands for services and are already stretched thin in terms of finances and staffing,” Nomina said in a statement. “A prolonged government shutdown means closed doors. It means survivors not being treated and assisted. It means turning our backs on victims.”

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https://www.politico.com/states/florida/whiteboard/2019/01/09/federal-shutdown-threatens-programs-for-sexual-assault-victims-781379