Multiple organizations in Maryland are seeking increased funding for their domestic violence abuse programs. The organizations, all of which are grassroots, are working to change the way that the funding for these programs is distributed by state and county entities. One of the organizations, People for Change Coalition, argues that it’s the same organizations that continue to receive funding.
One such organization that has received funding for the last two years was the Family Crisis Center. The Family Crisis Center has been awarded $150,000 in each of the last two periods for grants. When you look at the other side of things, a group known as Building Bridges has not received any funding in the past two years at the county level in Maryland.
The advocates for better funding are arguing that a new program is needed to determine which organizations receive funding and how it is distributed. The advocates want to begin compiling data using surveys, holding politicians accountable and then reaching out to service providers in areas local to the organizations for possible grant opportunities.
The interim director of the organization Maryland Network of Domestic Violence is calling for efforts in preventing weapons from getting into the hands of people known for abuse. This was in response to the death of a police officer from the county level who was killed during a domestic violence incident in which he intervened on his day off from work.
Domestic violence is a topic that should never be ignored. If you find yourself the victim of abuse, you should remove yourself from the situation immediately. It’s also best to seek a protective order from the abuser as a way to protect yourself.
Source: AFRO, “Grassroots Organizations Push for Increased Domestic Violence Funding,” March 15, 2018