Victims of domestic violence could lose access to lawyers that help them with protective orders, child-custody cases, divorces and other matters, under potential state budget cuts.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Victims of domestic violence could lose access to lawyers that help them with protective orders, child-custody cases, divorces and other matters, under potential state budget cuts.
Legal Aid officials and advocates for victims said Thursday they learned this week that Gov. Joe Manchin's proposed 2010 budget includes a cut in general revenue funds for the Civil Legal Assistance program, which provides civil legal help to victims.
The program now receives $400,000 from the state's general revenue fund, plus about $300,000 in state revenue from filing and other court-related fees, said Legal Aid of West Virginia Director Adrienne Worthy. The proposed cuts would reduce the program's general revenue funding to $150,000.
Advocates say the cuts could be devastating, especially in the midst of the economic downturn. Studies show that legal help can be the most effective tool to help someone break free from violence, they say.
"Without an attorney to assist victims of domestic violence through that process, my fear is that [they] could lose custody of their kids, could lose possession of their homes," said Sue Julian, team coordinator for the West Virginia Coalition Against Domestic Violence. "They could be forced to stay in a violent relationship."
In fiscal year 2007-08, more than 1000 West Virginians received help from the CLA program, according to Legal Aid of West Virginia.
Next Tuesday, lawmakers are set to return to Charleston to work on the state's budget. Manchin had submitted his 2010 budget in January, but had to revise it after the national recession deepened. He announced there would be reductions of $200 million, or almost 5 percent.
House Health and Human Resources Chairman Don Perdue, D-Wayne, said he is concerned that the legal-assistance cuts could come when people need them most.
"That is among several items that really leaped out at me in terms of potential cuts," Perdue said.
Legislators and their staff are now poring over a draft version of the governor's budget, he said.
"We're going to try to see if there are any ways that we can reduce any of those cuts," Perdue said.
Manchin spokesman Matt Turner said the governor has not yet released a final version of his budget proposal.
"It really wouldn't be appropriate for me to comment until we know what's in there," Turner said. "I can't comment on what may be in there, because that [cut] may not be in the final version."
Manchin will likely submit his final proposal Friday, Turner said.
"Everyone has had to make reductions," he said. "Any time you see a reduction in funding, those decisions are not easy."
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Victims of domestic violence could lose access to lawyers that help them with protective orders, child-custody cases, divorces and other matters, under potential state budget cuts.
Legal Aid officials and advocates for victims said Thursday they learned this week that Gov. Joe Manchin's proposed 2010 budget includes a cut in general revenue funds for the Civil Legal Assistance program, which provides civil legal help to victims.
The program now receives $400,000 from the state's general revenue fund, plus about $300,000 in state revenue from filing and other court-related fees, said Legal Aid of West Virginia Director Adrienne Worthy. The proposed cuts would reduce the program's general revenue funding to $150,000.
Advocates say the cuts could be devastating, especially in the midst of the economic downturn. Studies show that legal help can be the most effective tool to help someone break free from violence, they say.
"Without an attorney to assist victims of domestic violence through that process, my fear is that [they] could lose custody of their kids, could lose possession of their homes," said Sue Julian, team coordinator for the West Virginia Coalition Against Domestic Violence. "They could be forced to stay in a violent relationship."
In fiscal year 2007-08, more than 1000 West Virginians received help from the CLA program, according to Legal Aid of West Virginia.
Next Tuesday, lawmakers are set to return to Charleston to work on the state's budget. Manchin had submitted his 2010 budget in January, but had to revise it after the national recession deepened. He announced there would be reductions of $200 million, or almost 5 percent.
House Health and Human Resources Chairman Don Perdue, D-Wayne, said he is concerned that the legal-assistance cuts could come when people need them most.
"That is among several items that really leaped out at me in terms of potential cuts," Perdue said.
Legislators and their staff are now poring over a draft version of the governor's budget, he said.
"We're going to try to see if there are any ways that we can reduce any of those cuts," Perdue said.
Manchin spokesman Matt Turner said the governor has not yet released a final version of his budget proposal.
"It really wouldn't be appropriate for me to comment until we know what's in there," Turner said. "I can't comment on what may be in there, because that [cut] may not be in the final version."
Manchin will likely submit his final proposal Friday, Turner said.
"Everyone has had to make reductions," he said. "Any time you see a reduction in funding, those decisions are not easy."
Many victims of domestic violence can't afford a lawyer because they have never worked outside the home, or were forced to quit their job, said Brenda Joseph, an advocate at the Rape and Domestic Violence Information Center in Morgantown.
"One of the ways that abusers keep power and control is through finances," Joseph said.
Lawyers not only help victims navigate a complicated legal system, but also provide emotional support when a victim faces an abuser in the courtroom, she added.
Christine Schneider, a Legal Aid attorney in Morgantown, said she handles everything from divorces to protective orders to landlord-tenant disputes for domestic violence victims. The organization already gets more referrals than it can handle, she said. Often, she has to send people away with only a packet of information.
"Everyday, I struggle with turning clients away and not giving them full representation, and only giving them a little bit of help," she said.
The potential state cuts come as the federal government has committed additional money for domestic violence programs. Two weeks ago, President Barack Obama said federal domestic violence funding would not be cut in the 2010 fiscal year budget.
And on Thursday, Sens. Robert C. Byrd and Jay Rockefeller, both D-W.Va., said the state's domestic violence programs would get an additional $1.2 million in federal stimulus funds to help create and retain criminal justice and victim services jobs.
Those funds are geared toward the criminal side of domestic violence cases, while the state CLA program helps victims with civil matters.
The Coalition Against Domestic Violence and other groups also are pushing for an additional $1 million in Department of Health and Human Resources funding for the state's 14 certified domestic violence programs to provide direct services.
Leaders in the state Senate and House of Delegates have told the coalition they support that boost, Julian said.
"We're hoping that the Legislature and the governor will take a cue from what the federal government is doing by seriously addressing and adequately funding domestic violence programs," she said.
@tag: Reach Alison Knezevich at alis...@wvgazette.com or 304-348-1240. Reach Kathryn Gregory at kathr...@wvgazette.com or 304-348-5119.
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All men are not abusers. It sure seems that women's organizations are often "man hate" organizations. Demonizing an entire gender, or even looking on them with suspicion simply because of what a woman says, without any evidence, is wrong and unfair.
Sounds as though you've fallen for the agenda of those who seek to villify men solely on the basis of assumption. Such runs rampant throughout our society as there are shelters for battered women, but none for battered men; movies depicting domestic violence with wives as the victims of deranged husbands, but never depicting deranged wives who become violent; and legal assistance offered to domestic violence victims who--we must assume--are undoubtedly sweet, innocent, and loving women.
And of course we all know that there is absolutely no such thing as a wife who batters her husband (either physically or mentally). And we also know that wives never, ever provoke an argument. WAKE UP!
Perhaps wives and those who unquestionably defend them should study Newton's Third Law of Relativity.
And just what is wrong with house cleaning, ironing, and maintaining respect for one's husband?