April was sexual assault awareness month. Sadly, this is also a time Illinois communities must be aware that rape crisis services are in danger of significant reductions across the state because of a $9.5 million cut in federal funding beginning in July.
Clove Alliance is asking for your support! Please tell your legislators the Illinois Coalition Against Sexual Assault (ICASA) is calling upon the Illinois General Assembly to invest an additional $12 million in General Revenue Funding. Increasing the investment in statewide rape crisis services would bring the state’s total investment in rape crisis services to $20 million.
“Survivors of sexual violence need the state to step forward and support the essential, life-changing advocacy and counseling rape crisis centers provide in Illinois communities,” ICASA Chief Executive Officer Carrie Ward said.
This desperately needed increase, the first major investment in more than 20 years, would offset a drastic $9.5 million federal funding cut and the damage rising inflation has done to the workforce. That increased investment would reflect the state’s funding of survivors to an average $900 per survivor. In FY 22, the state only funded rape crisis services at a level of $364 per survivor.
Executive Director of Clove Alliance Tracey Noe-Slach stated, “Unfortunately, violence against women and children in Kankakee, Iroquois, and Ford Counties has not stopped. Sexual assault survivors deserve this investment, and our communities need these essential services. Clove Alliance’s vital services will be drastically reduced if there’s no increase in funding.”
Clove Alliance’s local impact for 2022 is great and: Provided 2,387 hours of legal advocacy response; reached 66,807 people through training and outreach initiatives; provided support through 747 crisis calls; provided medical advocacy to 104 victims at local hospitals; reached 5,790 students in 237 age-appropriate presentations; connected 254 clients to services through case management; and provided 1,791 sessions of support and empowerment through counseling services.
Clove Alliance needs your help – please contact your legislators and ask them to support a funding increase for rape crisis services. Clove Alliance is working to someday eliminate sexual violence. Until that day comes, we’re holding space for hope. For more information about services, events, or community offerings, call the Kankakee office at 815-932-7273, Watseka office at 815-432-2779, visit www.clovealliance.org, or email info@clovealliance.org.