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Group Says Trouble Will Exist if Domestic Violence Shelters Don't Get State Money
The executive director of the Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence says if state funding for violence shelters isn't at least maintained, then thousands of women across Illinois could be in trouble.

Vickie Smith says the shelters provide an essential service, and their operational expenses alone are starting to cost more due to rising energy costs and inflation. That's one of the reasons she's asking lawmakers to at least keep their funding steady as they pore over the state's $9 billion budget deficit.

Smith also expects more women to seek their services this year because the economy is so bad. She says as people lose their jobs, more family members who have been prone to violence before now have increased access to their families, and could have more reasons to express their frustrations with violence.

Smith estimates shelters across Illinois served about 60,000 women last year, and expects that number to go up. She says roughly one out of four women nationwide will experience domestic violence in their homes at least once in their lives.

(Illinois Radio Network)
02 24 09 by Newsroom
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