Governor Newsom’s January Budget Fails to Include Critical Funding for Preventing Sexual & Domestic Violence

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 11, 2022

Press Contacts:

• California Partnership to End Domestic Violence: Krista Colon, Policy Director: krista@cpedv.org | (916) 444-7163 x 101
• ValorUS: John L. Finley, Policy Manager: jfinley@valor.us | (916) 446-2520 x 323

SACRAMENTO, CA – ValorUS and the California Partnership to End Domestic Violence are deeply disappointed at the failure to include funding to prevent sexual and domestic violence in Governor Newsom’s January budget. Despite significant investments in policing and criminalization as a response to rising concerns about public safety, the Governor’s budget ignores promising strategies that address the root causes of violence, and fails to place any focus on preventing domestic and sexual violence before they occur entirely.

Together, our coalitions and over 100 supporting organizations had submitted a modest request for $15 million per year ongoing, well within the capacity for the state’s budget. With a second straight year of record budget surplus, it is irresponsible for California to neglect its duty to prevent sexual and domestic violence as serious public health and safety issues in our communities. If our priority is ensuring the health and safety of Californians, then we should be investing in strategies that prevent violence from ever occurring, and not responding after they occur.

Prevention work is already taking place in communities with the support of one-time state investments, but it requires sustained funding to be as effective as possible. Prevention is an intergenerational endeavor that takes time. We know what works to make this a reality: shifting social norms to create inclusive communities that center women, transgender, and nonbinary Black, Indigenous and Native, and People of Color, as well as expanding education on consent and supportive relationships to promote healthy masculinity and emotional health among boys and young men. The absence of sustained funding for these crucial programs fails current and future generations — Californians deserve for prevention from sexual and domestic violence to be prioritized in our state budget.

Our coalitions are hopeful that the legislature and the Governor will still work together to provide ongoing funding in the final budget to continue the critical prevention work that has previously been funded across the state. We will continue to advocate for these important resources before the final budget is approved in June.

About ValorUS: 

ValorUs is a national organization committed to advancing equity and ending sexual violence, and advocates on behalf of California’s safety net for survivors. Since 1980 ValorUS is California’s recognized sexual assault coalition. For more information, visit valor.us.

About the California Partnership to End Domestic Violence:

The California Partnership to End Domestic Violence (the Partnership) is California’s recognized domestic violence coalition, representing over 1,000 survivors, advocates, organizations and allied individuals across the state. Working at the local, state, and national levels for nearly 40 years, the Partnership has a long track record of successfully passing over 200 pieces of legislation on behalf of domestic violence victims and their children. The Partnership believes that by collectively working  with our diverse membership, advocates, and state policy makers, we can deepen the process of healing and restoration by identifying and addressing the underlying and contributing factors.  It is through our shared expertise in creating system-wide change by way of our public policy, prevention, communications, and capacity building programs that we are able to support and invest in survivors and families and endeavor to end domestic violence. Every day we inspire, inform and connect all those concerned with this issue, because we believe that together, we’re stronger. With offices in Sacramento, the Partnership’s member programs span the entire state. For more information, visit cpedv.org.

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