Spring Break
Even in recession, sexual violence can't be ignored
Alex Sanders
Issue date: 4/15/09 Section: Commentary
Employees are being let go, budgets are being cut and there doesn't seem to be enough money to go around in this economy. But despite the recession, on March 26 Gov. M Jodi Rell decided to allocate over $2 million of the state's stimulus money toward preventing violence against women. The money will go to four victim service programs and four law enforcement and prosecution programs.
The economy is in a slump and many people may think this money could be used for other resources. However, someone is sexually assaulted in the United States every two minutes, and that is not going to stop because of a weak economy. It is important to realize that attention must be paid to ongoing problems like sexual assault, even in bad economic times.
According to a Daily Campus article published Monday, $400,000 of the stimulus money will go toward expanding staff at domestic violence shelters. This is crucial to help people recover after they have experienced something as traumatizing and life-changing as sexual assault. Federal funding isn't enough to keep the shelters fully staffed and ready to meet victims' needs.
Rell is also allocating money to a teen dating violence outreach program. This is crucial, especially for the college demographic. One in three teens experiences dating violence, but only one in three victims reports it. That means that one out of three of your close friends could easily have experienced dating violence at some point in their lives. The statistics are horrifying and unacceptable. But perhaps with more funding, sexual assault and dating violence programs can do more outreach work and help those who wouldn't come forward before.
There will be an increase in funding for programs that would help victims cope with the aftermath of the assault, and tools that would help medical examiners collect evidence needed for prosecution. Facilities will receive $500,000 for prosecutors, which will allow facilities to have six full-time domestic violence and sexual assault prosecutors.
The economy is in a slump and many people may think this money could be used for other resources. However, someone is sexually assaulted in the United States every two minutes, and that is not going to stop because of a weak economy. It is important to realize that attention must be paid to ongoing problems like sexual assault, even in bad economic times.
According to a Daily Campus article published Monday, $400,000 of the stimulus money will go toward expanding staff at domestic violence shelters. This is crucial to help people recover after they have experienced something as traumatizing and life-changing as sexual assault. Federal funding isn't enough to keep the shelters fully staffed and ready to meet victims' needs.
Rell is also allocating money to a teen dating violence outreach program. This is crucial, especially for the college demographic. One in three teens experiences dating violence, but only one in three victims reports it. That means that one out of three of your close friends could easily have experienced dating violence at some point in their lives. The statistics are horrifying and unacceptable. But perhaps with more funding, sexual assault and dating violence programs can do more outreach work and help those who wouldn't come forward before.
There will be an increase in funding for programs that would help victims cope with the aftermath of the assault, and tools that would help medical examiners collect evidence needed for prosecution. Facilities will receive $500,000 for prosecutors, which will allow facilities to have six full-time domestic violence and sexual assault prosecutors.
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