Christie Denzel, a survivor of domestic abuse, speaks during a news conference Tuesday about funding for victim advocates at the Maine State House in Augusta. Joe Phelan/Kennebec Journal

AUGUSTA — Christie Denzel was feeling hopeless and afraid when she called a 24-hour emergency hotline for victims of domestic violence.

“I cried for an hour with a complete stranger who could do nothing to help me but listen,” Denzel said. It was the first time she felt she had been heard.

She pleaded with state lawmakers Tuesday during a rally at the Maine State House to increase state funding for victims’ services so that she and other survivors can continue to receive the support they need.

The same resources that saved Denzel — including the hotline staffed by the Maine Coalition to End Domestic Violence, as well as legal representation and other support groups — face significant cuts because of an ongoing decline in federal funding.

Gov. Janet Mills included an ongoing $3 million per year for victims in her latest two-year budget proposal. This was after warning lawmakers the state is facing a $450 million budget gap and can’t afford too many new initiatives.

But it’s only half of what victim service providers say they need to maintain the status quo. It’s also less than a one-time payment the governor agreed to give these organizations last year, when the state first realized it was slated to lose millions from the federal Victims of Crime Act fund. 

Sen. Anne Carney, D-Cape Elizabeth, is sponsoring legislation that would have the state pay $6 million per year.

“This crisis is one that spans several years,” Carney said. “We need to step in and continue with state funds to bridge the gaps.”

Supporters fill the grand staircase during a news conference about state funding for victim advocates Tuesday in the Hall of Flags. Joe Phelan/Kennebec Journal

The federal VOCA funds ebb and flow every year. They’re pulled from forfeited bail bonds, fines and fees seized after someone’s been convicted in federal court. For several years, Maine had received about $9 million. Last year, the state received only a third of that.

“This funding is not just a ‘cost,'” said Rep. Nina Milliken, D-Blue Hill. “It’s a lifeline.”

ADVOCATES UNDERPAID

VOCA funds help pay for child advocacy centers that are overseen by the Maine Coalition to End Sexual Assault, or MECASA. There, trauma-informed experts interview children who have experienced sexual abuse, avoiding the re-traumatization of having to testify in court or speak with police.

The centers also connect children with counseling. Last year, they cared for 1,288 children and conducted forensic interviews for almost all of them, according to MECASA.

MECASA also runs a 24-hour emergency hotline and offers to have advocates accompany a person to the hospital if they need a rape kit.

Supporters hold signs as they fill the grand staircase during a news conference about state funding for victim advocates Tuesday in the Hall of Flags. Joe Phelan/Kennebec Journal

But the employees who make this possible are woefully underpaid, said director Elizabeth Ward Saxl.

The funding calls made at the state Legislature Tuesday include a bill to raise advocates’ salaries and to create new positions for underserved communities.

A similar bill nearly succeeded last year, but never received funding. Mills did not propose funding for higher salaries in her latest budget.

Annual salaries currently hover around $35,000 now, according to Ward Saxl, and the consequence of that low pay is high turnover. She said more than 35% of MECASA’s advocates have left in the last year. Half of those remaining plan to leave soon.

“The thing that always amazes me is, from the outside, people make the assumption that staff turnover in this field is primarily about the difficulty of doing this work,” she said. “But usually it’s financial. The work really matters to folks, they just can’t afford to support their families and pay rent.”

HELPING VICTIMS IN COURT

VOCA also helps pay for dozens of different roles in Maine courts.

There are victim witness advocates who work in district attorneys’ offices and law enforcement agencies. They let victims know about upcoming hearings when a perpetrator has been charged, go with victims to court, and are often a liaison to police and prosecutors. And they help victims navigate “a process that can be lengthy and complicated, that no one asked to be a part of,” said long-time victim witness advocate Kim Westrich of Sagadahoc County.

Natasha Ricker, a client of Pine Tree Legal Assistance, speaks about the value of state investment in victim funds. Joe Phelan/Kennebec Journal

VOCA has also paid lawyers to help victims file for divorce, child custody and other civil matters.

Pine Tree Legal Assistance helped Natasha Ricker when her ex-husband was accused of abusing a minor.

Pine Tree Legal advocated for Ricker when criminal hearings were delayed, when court records were inaccurate and when her ex was trying to make things difficult, she said. He eventually pleaded guilty to charges of sexually abusing and exploiting a minor, she said.

Ricker said Pine Tree Legal was a “godsend” at a time when her “sense of safety became completely shattered.” She wants others to have access to the same help.

“If tomorrow yourself or your child become victims,” Ricker said, “would you want to have access to the same vital resources that would help you heal and become a survivor?”

HOW TO GET HELP 

IF YOU or someone you know has experienced domestic violence, you can call the statewide Domestic Abuse Helpline at 1-866-834-4357 to talk to someone who can help. You can learn more online here.

IF YOU or someone you know has experienced sexual abuse, you can call the statewide Sexual Assault Crisis and Support Line at 1-800-871-7741 to talk to someone who can help. You can learn more online here.

FOR ASSISTANCE during a mental health crisis, call or text 888-568-1112. To call the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, call 988 or chat online at 988lifeline.org.

FOR OTHER support or referrals, call the NAMI Maine Help Line at 800-464-5767 or email helpline@namimaine.org.