End Domestic Abuse Wisconsin (End Abuse) and the Wisconsin Coalition Against Sexual Assault (WCASA) are hosting a Legislative Advocacy Day which will bring programs from across the state to meet with elected officials to discuss critical issues impacting survivors. A focal point of this event will be advocating for an increase of $66 million in state funding over the biennium for victim services.
This increase comes at a critical time for programs in Wisconsin who experienced devastating cuts in in federal Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) funding in beginning on October 1st, 2024. The consequences of these cuts are forcing programs to lay off staff and reduce services. The impacts are falling hardest on the smallest programs, including those serving communities of color as well as those in rural and low-income communities. These cuts are negatively impacting survivors, their families, and our communities.
Victim service providers are grateful to the Wisconsin legislature for unanimously passing Act 241 which included a $10 million increase in funding. While this has provided some relief, that funding was provided on a one-time basis and lapses on June 30th, 2025.
We would like to thank Governor Evers and Attorney General Kaul for including significant increases in victims services funding in their proposed budgets, and we call on the Wisconsin Legislature to include this increase when they pass their budget.
Additional topics of advocacy include funding to help implement the policy recommendations of the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Relatives (MMIW/R) Task Force, which includes funding for each of Wisconsin’s federally recognized tribes to provide services related to MMIW/R. We are also supporting funding to create a Taskforce on Missing and Murdered African American Women and Girls.This task force will examine topics including systemic causes behind violence that African American women and girls experience and provide policy recommendations designed to eliminate violence against African American women and girls.
The event will take place at the Wisconsin State Capitol building between 9am-3pm, with a central meeting location in room 300SE. Virtual meetings are being scheduled with representatives for those who wish to participate from outside of Madison.