Samaritan House often asks victims of domestic violence and abuse what they would have done without assistance from the nonprofit.

The answers are usually the same, said Robin Gaulthier, executive director of the Virginia Beach-based organization:

“‘I would have gone back and gotten killed or ended up on the street.’ ‘I would have most likely stayed in a dangerous situation due to not having anywhere to go.’ ‘I would have given up.’ ‘I would be dead.’”

But now, Samaritan House fears they won’t be able to give out that crucial assistance.

Gaulthier said this July — the beginning of the 2025 fiscal year — local services like hers will begin running out of federal funding that they rely on to run their programs.

Samaritan House, YWCA, H.E.R. Shelter and Transitions Family Violence Services get the bulk of their funding from the federal Victims of Crime Act. It was passed by Congress in 1984 to provide federal support to organizations that help victims of violent crime. 

VOCA is fed by the Crime Victims’ Fund, which collects annually from criminal fines, penalties, bail bonds and other federal sources. In recent years those contributions have dropped, dovetailing with dwindling American Rescue Plan Act funds to create a nearly 48% cut in grants to victim service providers.

A group of local organizations is now asking Virginia to step in and create a statewide fund that prioritizes victim needs, starting with a $30 million stopgap measure.

“This is critical, not just for those that we serve, but for the safety of the communities in which we all enjoy our freedoms,” Michelle Ellis Young, who runs YWCA of South Hampton Roads, said at a press conference Tuesday.

The nonprofit groups provide comprehensive services to victims of domestic violence and abuse, including dedicated hotlines, emergency shelters, counseling and victim advocates. All of their shelters are currently full and most have waitlists. Due to funding cuts, there isn’t enough money to pay the number of victim advocates needed to cover all cases. Some groups have had to outsource their hotline calls.

Young said victims’ services are dealing with staff shortages just like the rest of the region.

“Imagine if you call that number because that's the number we told you to call, but there's no one on the other end to answer it,” Young said. “This is what (funding cuts) means to our services. It means that we have to reduce the number of team members that show up to provide care and community. It means that those lines will go unanswered.”

Sanu Dieng heads Transitions Family Violence Services, which covers the Peninsula. She recalled a recent hotline call from a young mother in an abusive relationship.

“I'm worried about that phone call,” Dieng said. “When I have to tell someone, I'm sorry, we can't offer you shelter, we have a waitlist, or I have to outsource you somewhere else, or I have to call one of my sister organizations to say, do you have space? And we all have to juggle.”

Olivia Smithberger with H.E.R. Shelter said it won’t be long before a lack of funding has real-world consequences.

“If this funding decrease makes it so that we cannot provide those services, somebody will end up paying with their lives,” she said.

 If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence or abuse, please call 1-800-838-8238.

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