Electric candles are held during a moment of silence at the end of the art opening event. An art exhibit is on display a the Guyer Art Barn in Hyannis of art inspired by the lives of those who have been impacted by human trafficking. January marks human trafficking awareness month. The kick off event was held Jan. 16, 2025. Survivor Jessica Garcia shared her story with those who attended the event sponsored by the Barnstable County Sheriff's Office, the Human Trafficking Task Force for the Cape and Islands District Attorney's Office and other advocacy organizations. Photo taken Jan. 16, 2025
California – Dozens of violence prevention and victim service programs across California are facing sudden and potentially devastating cuts after the Trump administration abruptly withdrew over $80 million in federal funding from the state. The cuts, part of a larger national rollback totaling $811 million, target initiatives designed to protect survivors of domestic violence, prevent sexual abuse in prisons, and support reentry housing for formerly incarcerated individuals.
“These programs literally save lives — not just for the victims, but for our entire communities,” said Tinisch Hollins, executive director of Californians for Safety and Justice. “When they go away, we lose a safety net.”
The U.S. Justice Department, under Attorney General Pam Bondi, defended the move as a refocusing of resources. A department spokesperson said funds would now prioritize arresting criminals, combating drugs, and supporting “legitimate law enforcement initiatives,” rather than “listening sessions” and “socio-ecological contexts.”
California leaders, however, are pushing back forcefully. Attorney General Rob Bonta called the decision reckless and dangerous. “These resources are not optional luxuries — they are essential,” he said. “My office will do everything in our power to stop the potentially deadly consequences of freezing federal funding.”
Organizations hit hardest include Oakland’s Youth ALIVE!, which lost a $2 million grant supporting the nation’s first hospital-based violence intervention program. The program served 113 violently injured youth last year — only one of whom was re-injured. “It’s not an impact that we can absorb lightly,” said Executive Director Dr. Joseph Griffin. “Replacing $2 million is never easy.”
Also in Oakland, Impact Justice lost $8.5 million in grants for reentry housing and efforts to eliminate sexual abuse in confinement facilities. “This was a sledgehammer,” said founder Alex Busansky. “To take that away puts the most vulnerable people in a much riskier and potentially harmful situation.”
San Francisco’s Asian Women’s Shelter lost $500,000 earmarked for Arab survivors of domestic violence and trafficking — one of only five organizations awarded that grant nationally last year. “Whose safety and security are they prioritizing?” asked spokesperson Saara Ahmed.
On April 25, more than 600 organizations signed a letter to AG Bondi, expressing “deep concern” over the cuts. San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins, whose office lost a grant supporting at-risk youth, echoed the alarm: “Public safety, at its core, is fewer victims of crime overall. We have to do the front-end, proactive work.”
For many of these programs, their future is now in limbo.
