Justice for victims, safety for all.

Dear Members of the 114th Tennessee General Assembly,

Every day, Tennesseans suffering from violence and abuse turn to our organizations for help. We provide life-saving services: shelter for a mother and her children fleeing domestic violence, counseling for a survivor of childhood abuse, resources and safety for human trafficking victims, crisis support for a rape survivor, and advocacy for victims seeking justice. Yet, these critical services are at risk due to the lack of a sustainable state revenue stream.

Our organizations serve survivors of child abuse, elder abuse, human trafficking, domestic violence, sexual assault, and more. Tennessee lawmakers have recognized that justice for victims starts with meeting their needs for trauma counseling, legal services, and other forms of crisis support that our organizations provide. Your legislative body has passed new laws in recent years that mandate these services. Although the demand for our services has increased, these laws were never supported with dedicated state funding and our organizations are now facing drastic budget cuts.

We write to you with an urgent request to prevent a devastating collapse of victim services across the state. We urge you to allocate $25 million in recurring state funding. This investment will ensure safety, healing, and justice for victims and their families—and a safer Tennessee for us all.

Without this funding, the consequences will be catastrophic:

• Children will remain trapped in cycles of abuse. Children exposed to violence often face long-lasting trauma that affects every aspect of their development. Our services—like child advocacy programs and family counseling—are vital to helping them heal. But children do not live in isolation; their safety depends on their parents or caregivers. When parents receive support to escape abuse and rebuild stability, they can create nurturing environments that protect their children. Without funding, both child and family services will disappear, leaving entire families vulnerable.

• Victims will suffer and die. Interpersonal violence traps victims in cycles of escalating harm. Our shelters, crisis hotlines, and outreach programs are often the only lifelines available. Without stable funding, we face service cuts and closures. Victims will have nowhere to turn during their darkest hours.

• Communities will be more dangerous. When victims cannot access support, the cycle of violence continues. Perpetrators who are not held accountable remain in our communities, posing a threat to everyone. It is no coincidence that mass violence offenders often have a history of interpersonal abuse.

• Law enforcement and public systems will be overwhelmed. Without shelters and victim support services, more victims will return to their abusers. This leads to repeated violence, dangerous law enforcement encounters, and an overburdened justice system. Prosecutors who rely on victim service providers to support witnesses will face even greater challenges in holding offenders accountable.

Our organizations cannot face this crisis alone. It is time for Tennesseans to step up for Tennesseans. Interpersonal violence is pervasive, which means we all know someone who has been a victim, whether we realize it or not.

Together, we can create a brighter future for victims and their families. Stable funding will ensure that victims have a place to turn, children can escape cycles of abuse, and communities can thrive in safety. Please demonstrate your commitment to justice and safety in the upcoming state budget process.