Press Releases
12.5.2024
Local Services Impacted by Harmful Cuts to Federal Victims of Crime Act Funding
Ladysmith, WI—Federal Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) funding, established to provide consistent yearly funds for local nonprofit organizations like Embrace Services, Inc., experienced a devastating cut beginning on October 1, 2024. Wisconsin’s annual allocation from the federal program dropped from $40 million to $13 million, and for rural, low-income and historically marginalized communities the impact of the funding loss has been extreme.
“Embrace’s VOCA funding is plummeting,” said Katie Bement, Executive Director of Embrace Services, Inc. (Embrace). Embrace provides victim advocacy services such as safety planning, crisis counseling, community service referrals, and safe housing to more than 2,000 survivors of domestic and sexual violence annually in the four rural Northwestern Wisconsin counties of Barron, Washburn, Rusk and Price counties.
“We’ve lost 82 percent of our annual VOCA funding for victim services which is more than a third of our entire annual operating budget,” Bement added.
The Victims of Crime Act utilizes fees, fines and penalties collected in federal criminal court convictions and prosecution agreements into a Crime Victim Fund and then disburses those funds to individual states to spend on victim services. Due to changes in federal prosecution, the deposits to the Crime Victim Fund dropped dramatically in 2018, and legislation has prevented the VOCA funds from being replenished as they should have been. Congress has not voted on the Crime Victim Fund Stabilization Act which would fix the immediate funding shortfall victim service providers are facing. Congress also shelved a proposal from the Biden administration that would have infused the needed funding into the Crime Victim Fund for next year.
This fall, news broke that the funding cuts were worse than the organization was anticipating. “In past years Embrace received an average of $650,000 annually through VOCA which was already stretched thin over our four county service area,” Bement said. “The organization planned and restructured for services to be funded at $250,000 to account for the expected reduced funding in the year. We only received $118,000,” she stated.
“Our programs will have to shift, advocate positions laid off, and our services reduced. It couldn’t have come at a worse time,” said Bement. “These draconian funding cuts combined with the pandemic, the housing crisis and changes to healthcare access, are creating lethal circumstances and surging domestic violence homicides in Wisconsin and our service area. The cuts are devastating our program and putting the thousands of survivors we serve each year at greater risk of homicide.”
A recent domestic violence homicide report from End Domestic Abuse WI revealed that in 2023 Wisconsin had a record high number of domestic violence homicides here in Wisconsin. Domestic violence claimed 85 lives in Wisconsin in 2023. Wisconsin is one of the deadliest states in the country for domestic violence victims. One in six domestic violence homicides in the country occurs in Wisconsin.
“We ourselves are experiencing homicides in our own rural communities at rates never before seen. With our reduced funding, some of our neighbors are going to slip through the cracks. I’m worried that more lives will be lost. We need to be there for survivors now more than ever. We need to sound the alarm now,” Bement said.
Bement explained small, rural nonprofits like Embrace and culturally-specific nonprofits are feeling the cuts the most. Funding from private foundations and county and city government in rural communities is limited or nonexistent.
In October, the Wisconsin Department of Justice requested a new 2025-2027 state budget appropriation intended to offset the cuts in VOCA funding that, if passed, will bring funding back to the original award levels prior to cuts taking effect. The Governor’s Office and Wisconsin Legislators passing the upcoming state biennium budget with the appropriation included for victim services will be a lifeline for Wisconsinites facing crisis and help make sure survivors have safety and healing resources.
“While circumstances are dire, our doors are still open, and services are available. We are relying on support from our communities to keep services going,” Bement said.
1.16.2025
FEBRUARY IS TEEN DATING VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH
Spooner, WI—Every February, people across the United States come together to bring awareness to the issue of teen dating violence during Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month (TDVAM). Embrace encourages its communities to participate in this annual effort that emphasizes while teen dating violence is a reality, it is preventable through education, ongoing conversations, and community engagement.
The national statistics are sobering and mirror the harm teens experience in Embrace’s rural service area of Washburn, Barron, Rusk, and Price counties: 1 in 3 teenagers experience physical, sexual, or emotional abuse before adulthood. However, only 33% of those impacted ever tell someone or report the abuse.
“Many teens fear judgment, repercussions, or uncertainty about their relationship. Additionally, abusive behaviors are often hidden, making it challenging for adults to recognize the signs. This is why empowering teens to identify red flags and understand unhealthy relationship dynamics is so critical,” reported Allie Musolf, Embrace’s Domestic Violence Program Coordinator located in Barron County.
“Unfortunately, some groups face higher risks of dating violence. LGBTQ+ youth are disproportionately affected in our rural communities” explained Liza Lane, Embrace’s Domestic Violence Program Coordinator based in Washburn County. According to the Urban Institute Justice Policy Center, 43% report experiences of physical dating violence, compared to 29% of heterosexual youth. Half of all transgender and nonbinary individuals report experiencing abusive relationships.
“This heightened risk is often compounded by societal stigma and negative feedback from peers, educators, and even family members, leaving LGBTQ+ youth unsafe. A positive and inclusive school climate can play a vital role in reducing bullying and victimization and promoting safety and respect for all,” said Lane.
This year’s TDVAM theme, “Respect That,” encourages open dialogue about healthy and unhealthy relationships. Parents, teachers, coaches, and community members all have the potential to serve as safe and trusted adults who can initiate these discussions.
Key elements of these educational conversations include identifying the cornerstones of a healthy relationship—trust, respect, and consent.
“Consent is more than just asking for permission; it should be freely given, reversible, informed, enthusiastic, and specific," explained Lane. "Consent also applies to everyday interactions, such as hugging, holding hands, or any form of physical touch. Equipping teens with the tools to recognize red flags, practice effective communication, and foster healthy relationships creates a safer and more positive future for everyone.”
How You Can Show Support – On Tuesday, February 11th, join Embrace and the movement by wearing orange to raise awareness for TDVAM. Share your photos on social media using hashtags #RespectThat, #TDVAM25, and #embracewi.
If you or someone you know is experiencing, teen dating violence, remember you are not alone, and it’s not your fault. Embrace provides free, confidential advocacy and support. Call 800.924.0556 for assistance. For additional resources, visit loveisrespect.org.
June 2023
NEW AUBURN SHOOTING DEMONSTRATES THE LIFE-THREATENING RISK OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
Rice Lake, WI – On June 18, 2023, gun violence devastatingly struck the Barron County community when Beth Parker was murdered by Jeremy Wittrock in their New Auburn home. In the traumatic domestic violence incident, Wittrock committed suicide.
Any loss of life is tragic, but the loss of Beth’s life at the hands of someone who she trusted can seem especially senseless.
“Beth deserved to live with dignity and safety. She deserved to live. Our community has suffered a tremendous loss. It is important that we treat each other and ourselves with compassion at this time” says Hayley Sirinek, Embrace Sexual Violence Program Coordinator.
When a domestic violence murder-suicide occurs, communities are left struggling to find an answer or motive for why the murder occurred without the ability to hold the harm-doer accountable for their actions.
According to Allie Musolf, Embrace Domestic Violence Program Coordinator, “Beth was much more than a victim of domestic violence. It’s important we remember that any media coverage about her murder will inevitably fail to depict the complexity and fullness of her life and the impact that the homicide and suicide have had on surviving family members, friends, and others close to the victim.”
Domestic violence is a pattern of behavior in which the harm-doer does everything they can to maintain power and control over the victim. This may include verbal abuse, intimidation and threats, physical and sexual assault, controlling access to financial resources, abuse of pets, and isolation from friends and family. Harm-doers kill because it’s their final act of trying to control their victim. Domestic violence is often a carefully guarded secret in homes that appear normal, and it can be very difficult for victims to reach out for help because they are likely to be met with skepticism. Domestic violence continues to be an enormous social epidemic.
In 2021 in Wisconsin, according to End Domestic Abuse Wisconsin’s homicide report, 80 people lost their lives to domestic violence.
“That is one death every four-and-a-half days. In 2022, there were over 100 domestic violence homicides in Wisconsin. The number of lives lost is increasing. What we are doing as a state and a community is not enough,” added Musolf.
Domestic violence homicides rarely occur as an isolated incident of abuse.
“The violence is patterned and predictable which also means it is preventable,” Sirinek explains. “It’s time we ask ourselves how we as a community can better identify harm, connect survivors to existing resources, and safely intervene in these dangerous situations before they turn deadly. We all have a role to play in keeping our family, friends, and neighbors safe.”
Research shows addressing the root causes of gender-based violence and oppression is essential to preventing domestic violence homicides.
According to Musolf, “Expanding our community’s access to safe and affordable housing, bodily autonomy, prevention education, and economic equality will reduce violence. Acting on this knowledge and providing funding for these types of services in our community is how we will save lives.”
Embrace provides supportive services to all people affected by domestic and sexual violence. Our staff is available 24/7 to provide free, confidential services including: personal advocacy; crisis counseling; medical advocacy and accompaniment; community outreach; and prevention. If you or someone you know needs support, call our toll free number at 1-800-942-0556 or text us at 715-532-6976.
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Firearms contribute significantly to domestic violence in the U.S. — to threaten, to coerce, to control, and to kill. It may be a surprise to some, but for those in the anti-violence movement, it is a well known fact that incidents of gun violence in our communities have strong ties to domestic violence.
More than two-thirds of mass shootings nationwide are related to domestic violence incidents or are perpetrated by shooters with a history of domestic violence, according to a recent Johns Hopkins study. Further, one in three mass shootings involved a shooter who was legally prohibited from possessing a firearm at the time of the shooting.
Societal pressures have taught us to believe domestic violence is a ‘private family matter’ however, communities need to address these issues to prevent the loss of life, like a recent incident in Barron county. Our thoughts are with the families of the shooting victims and with all people who experience gun violence at the hands of an intimate partner.
Research of domestic violence in Wisconsin shows predictable patterns and precipitating factors that lead to intimate partner homicide. This predictability of gun violence and domestic violence makes them both preventable crimes.
Existing legislation is not enough. We need more robust, multifaceted solutions like community and legal systems recognizing access to guns as a considerable danger to the life of the individual, those known to the individual, and their local community.
Preventing those with a history of domestic violence from accessing a firearm has proven effective in reducing rates of domestic violence homicide. We know that past violence is the best predictor of future violence and often that past violence is domestic violence.
It’s on all of us to make our communities a safer place by believing survivors, holding harm-doers accountable, and raising awareness about the realities of firearms and domestic violence.
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Unknown. Due to cases going unreported and racial data on missing persons being poorly tracked, the actual number of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls (MMIWG) across the United States is unknown.
Even being underreported, the National Crime Information Center had over 5,000 missing Indigenous women and girls reported in 2016. Only 116 of those were logged into the Department of Justice’s national database.
American Indian women face murder rates that are more than 10 times the national average. Homicide is the 3rd leading cause of death among those ages 1-19 for American Indian and Alaska Native women according to the Centers for Disease Control. These aren’t just numbers; they’re sisters, daughters, and mothers being taken.
A task force has been formed at both the national and state levels to address the epidemic. But is it enough? Though these groups are prioritizing a critical need, developing a shared database to track MMIWG, advocates emphasize the importance of resources also going toward prevention and healing.
According to the National Institute of Justice, 56% of Native Women have experienced sexual violence, and 49% have experienced stalking. In addition, 96% of Native female victims of sexual violence experienced violence at the hands of non-Native harm doers.
The pervasiveness of this injustice represents a dire need to (1) address the systemic barriers that allow this horrific reality to persist and (2) amplify the voices of MMIWG advocates and families that work tirelessly to share their stories, demanding justice and the restoration of safety.
The National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center (NIWRC) is organizing a National Week of Action (May 1st - 7th) to raise awareness about MMIWG. We must rise up to challenge the inaction and silence of those in power in response to the crisis of MMIWG.
You can get involved by sharing a photo of yourself on social media wearing red and/or traditional attire. Make sure to use hashtags #MMIWGActionNow, #NoMoreStolenSisters and #MMIWG.
Red is the official color of the #MMIW campaign because in various tribes, it is known to be the only color spirits can see. It is hoped that by wearing red, the missing spirits of the women and children will be called back home.
You can also purchase the 2023 No More Stolen Sisters poster. All net proceeds go towards NIWRC's mission to end violence against Native women and children by providing culturally grounded resources, training, technical assistance, and policy development. For a complete list of events, registration information, and downloadable resources, check out https://www.niwrc.org/mmiwnatlweek23. Join us in saying ‘enough is enough’—not one more stolen sister.
