Domestic Abuse Service Center faces deep cuts

A vital service for domestic violence survivors sees its budget gutted

Comments (0) By Jeff Severns Guntzel Wednesday, Jun 11 2008

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Mike Kooiman

DASC director Lolita Ulloa faces major cutbacks even as domestic violence cases increase in a tight economy

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As of now, however, the system is in danger of choking. Hennepin County has 25 percent of the state's population, and the center writes nearly 50 percent of the orders processed in the state. In 2007, it wrote 3,385 orders of protection and harassment restraining orders and fielded nearly 24,000 calls. The Fourth District will swear in a new chief judge to succeed Weiland in July. Arthur, Anderson, and other victims' advocates plan to make their case all over again.

"We understand cuts have to be made," Arthur says, "but victim safety has got to be primary. A victim who has to go back to their abuser is very likely to be abused again. A domestic assault victim is much more likely to be targeted again than a robbery victim or the victim of any other crime. If you intervene, you know you're going to make a difference."