Press Release

October 7, 2010
CARDIN, MIKULSKI, SMITH ANNOUNCE FUNDS TO HELP VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND THEIR FAMILIES
Baltimore County safe shelter wins grant funds for domestic violence treatment and prevention



DUNDALK, MD
– U.S. Senators Benjamin L. Cardin and
Barbara A. Mikulski

(both D-MD) today joined
Baltimore County Executive Jim Smith to announce $106,969 in grant funding to the Family Crisis Center of Baltimore County, a community-based nonprofit that provides services to victims of domestic violence and their families.




 



The announcement is a part of more than $10 million in grant funds awarded to Maryland from the Department of Justice (DOJ) to help prevent domestic violence and assist victims of violent crime.




 



 “Domestic violence destroys lives, devastates families and endangers women, children and men.  It also knows no racial, ethnic or income barriers and it can affect affluent communities as well as low-income households,” said
Senator Cardin, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee. “In 2009 in Maryland there were more than 18,500 reported cases of domestic abuse and 53 fatalities. These funds will make a difference because they will help us stop domestic violence and provide assistance to victims.”



 


“We can’t just combat domestic violence. We have to end it,”
Senator Mikulski said. “This historic level of funding will protect women, families and our communities, and help rebuild lives. No woman in this country should live in fear for her life or that of her kids. That’s why I strongly support legislation and grant programs that help protect women and their families from continued violence and abuse.”



 



 “One of our most solemn obligations as public servants is the safety of the citizens we serve and programs funded through these grants help us ensure that women throughout Maryland feel safe and secure,”
Governor Martin O’Malley said. “I want to thank Senator Barbara Mikulski, Senator Ben Cardin and the leaders of our federal delegation for their work in securing these funds. The O’Malley-Brown Administration is committed to fighting domestic violence, and our federal partners are powerful allies in this struggle.”



 


“For over 30 years, the Family Crisis Center of Baltimore County has provided a safe haven for those who have been betrayed, abused and have nowhere left to turn. Through housing assistance, job preparation training, and counseling, the Family Crisis Center helps domestic violence victims make a fresh start to have a better life for themselves and their children. Because of the support from Senators Mikulski and Cardin, these funds will help this center continue to make our communities a safer place to live,” said
County Executive Smith.
 



 




 



The funds, awarded to Maryland through the STOP-Violence Against Women Act and the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) formula grant programs administered by the Department of Justice DOJ have been competitively awarded by the Governor’s Office of Crime Control and Prevention (GOCCP) to 143 domestic violence prevention and treatment programs across the state.




 



Each year, approximately 2.3 million women nationwide and 20,000 women in Maryland are victims of domestic violence, and one in four women will be victims of domestic violence in their lifetimes. Studies show that utilizing community-based support services, like domestic violence shelters, helps break the cycle of violence and keep women safe.




 



They were joined by
Kristen Mahoney, Executive Director of the Governor’s Office of Crime Control and Prevention, Douglas Murphy, Executive Director of the Family Crisis Center, and a survivor of domestic violence who told her story and spoke about the importance of having assistance available for victims and their families.

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