Legislative cuts are directly affecting domestic violence programs in Washington County.

A 26% cut to victim services funding in the state has caused the Domestic Violence Intervention Program, which serves eight counties in southeast Iowa, to close three of its offices. Brad Koenig is an advocate for DVIP who serves Washington and Des Moines counties. Koenig says this cut has affected DVIP, “It hit us hard, it hit other programs in the state also. We’re actually losing our offices in Mount Pleasant, Burlington, and in Keokuk, just because we had to cut back.”

Koenig says he’s glad the DVIP has not had to eliminate any employees. Koenig says he can still do his job without a physical office, and that he has been offered office space by various Washington organizations. Not having a physical office can have its challenges though, “It does make things a little more difficult, you don’t have victims walking into a safe place that they feel safe they can talk to you. You know, walking into a DVIP office, people feel safe in those spaces.”

The legislative cuts hit other programs across Iowa harder, including the Iowa Sexual Abuse Hotline, which was hosted by the Rape Victim Advocacy Program at the University of Iowa. The hotline will be defunded effective October 1. If you are a victim of domestic violence contact law enforcement or reach Koenig at 319-520-0554.