{"id":3107,"date":"2025-04-01T13:31:40","date_gmt":"2025-04-01T13:31:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nccadv.org\/?post_type=news_and_update&#038;p=3107"},"modified":"2025-04-03T19:39:45","modified_gmt":"2025-04-03T19:39:45","slug":"advocating-for-safer-communities-in-north-carolina","status":"publish","type":"news_and_update","link":"https:\/\/nccadv.org\/es\/news-and-updates\/advocating-for-safer-communities-in-north-carolina\/","title":{"rendered":"Advocating for Safer Communities in North Carolina\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/nccadv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Square-Posts-for-Insta-1024x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Advocacy Day: NCCADV joined with NCCASA and CAC-NC for Advocacy Day at the NC General Assembly to call for urgent funding to protect survivors of domestic violence.  VOCA funds are down 76% since 2018, shelters are full, services are shrinking, and lives are at risk.  We're asking lawmakers to act now - every survivor deserves safety &amp; support.\" class=\"wp-image-3110\" style=\"width:619px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nccadv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Square-Posts-for-Insta-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/nccadv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Square-Posts-for-Insta-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/nccadv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Square-Posts-for-Insta-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/nccadv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Square-Posts-for-Insta-768x768.jpg 768w, https:\/\/nccadv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Square-Posts-for-Insta-12x12.jpg 12w, https:\/\/nccadv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Square-Posts-for-Insta-75x75.jpg 75w, https:\/\/nccadv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Square-Posts-for-Insta.jpg 1080w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>On March 12, 2025, the North Carolina Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCCADV) led a powerful Advocacy Day at the North Carolina General Assembly. Alongside our partners\u2014the Children\u2019s Advocacy Centers of North Carolina (CACNC) and the North Carolina Coalition Against Sexual Assault (NCCASA)\u2014we worked together to speak up for survivors and ask for critical support from our state leaders.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This day was a chance for NCCADV to show lawmakers how domestic violence affects communities across the state\u2014and to ask for help making sure life-saving services stay available for all who need them.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>NCCADV\u2019s Mission: Supporting Survivors, Saving Lives&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Every day, NCCADV and our member programs provide emergency shelter, safety planning, legal advocacy, and healing support to survivors of domestic violence. But this work is at risk.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Much of the funding that makes these services possible comes from a federal source called VOCA (Victims of Crime Act). Since 2018, VOCA funds in North Carolina have dropped by 76%\u2014from $103 million to just $24.6 million in 2024. This crisis is forcing programs to cut staff and turn people away.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In 2023 alone, more than <strong>6,000 survivors<\/strong> were turned away from domestic violence shelters because there wasn\u2019t enough room. NCCADV programs simply don\u2019t have the resources to meet the growing need.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What We\u2019re Asking For<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>To keep these vital services running, NCCADV is calling on the General Assembly to approve <strong>$30 million per year for the next two years<\/strong>, with $10 million going specifically to domestic violence programs. This funding would help:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Keep emergency shelters open&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Retain trained staff&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Provide counseling and legal support&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Protect thousands of survivors and their children&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>These are not just numbers\u2014they are lives.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Standing Up for Survivors<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>During Advocacy Day, NCCADV leaders and advocates met with lawmakers to share stories and data showing why this support matters now more than ever.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the photos, you can see NCCADV Staff including <strong>Policy Director Kathleen Lockwood<\/strong>, <strong>Representative Allen Buansi<\/strong>, <strong>Legal Director Nisha Williams<\/strong>, and <strong>Taylour Neal, Director of Campus Services<\/strong>, advocating on behalf of domestic violence survivors across the state.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Thanks to their efforts, more people are learning just how urgent this issue is.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The Need Is Growing<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>NCCADV data shows that <strong>domestic violence homicides have increased nearly 70% since 2018<\/strong>. At the same time, shelters are overflowing, and many survivors have nowhere to go. Without VOCA and state funding, more lives will be at risk.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We are also seeing challenges in other areas:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Child advocacy centers served over 12,000 children last year&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Sexual assault programs are cutting back services due to lack of funds&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Our partner organizations do incredible work.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>NCCADV\u2019s focus is clear: <strong>We are here to protect and uplift domestic violence survivors<\/strong>, and we need urgent help from the state to continue.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What Comes Next<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Advocacy Day was just the beginning. NCCADV is continuing to push for emergency state funding, and we invite lawmakers from both sides of the aisle to stand with us.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is not a partisan issue\u2014it\u2019s a people issue. When survivors are safe and supported, our entire state is stronger.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let\u2019s work together to make sure no survivor is turned away, and every person has a path to safety, healing, and hope.&nbsp;<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>On March 12, 2025, the North Carolina Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCCADV) led a powerful Advocacy Day at the North Carolina General Assembly. Alongside our partners\u2014the Children\u2019s Advocacy Centers of North Carolina (CACNC) and the North Carolina Coalition Against Sexual Assault (NCCASA)\u2014we worked together to speak up for survivors and ask for critical support from [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":3110,"template":"","news-and-update_category":[129],"class_list":{"0":"post-3107","1":"news_and_update","2":"type-news_and_update","3":"status-publish","4":"has-post-thumbnail","6":"news-and-update_category-news-updates","7":"entry"},"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/nccadv.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news_and_update\/3107","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/nccadv.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news_and_update"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/nccadv.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/news_and_update"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nccadv.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nccadv.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3110"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/nccadv.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3107"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"news-and-update_category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nccadv.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news-and-update_category?post=3107"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}