Georgia Domestic Violence Shelters Face Cuts After Kemp Vetoes $13 Million in Funding

Georgia Domestic Violence Programs Face Funding Shortfall After Kemp Veto

Domestic violence and sexual assault programs across Georgia are bracing for cuts after Gov. Brian Kemp vetoed $13 million in new funding that lawmakers approved in the state budget, according to reporting from The Georgia Recorder.

“Survivors are not going to be able to get everything they need from a reduced staff, and staff are going to burn out, and it’s going to be a vicious cycle,” said Jan Christiansen, executive director of the Georgia Coalition Against Domestic Violence.

The funding included $9.4 million for domestic violence services and $3.3 million for sexual assault programs. Kemp cut the spending as part of broader vetoes aimed at offsetting a budget deficit tied to a state income tax package.

Advocates say the loss comes as demand for services continues to grow. The Georgia Commission on Family Violence reported that certified domestic violence agencies answered more than 110,000 crisis calls in 2024, while reports of domestic violence increased 12% from the year before.

In Valdosta, The Haven serves nine counties through its domestic violence shelter and sexual assault center. Executive Director Michelle Girtman told The Georgia Recorder that the organization already struggles to meet demand and often has to place survivors in hotels or refer them to programs in other counties when shelter space runs out.

Without the additional state funding, advocates warn programs may be forced to reduce services, freeze hiring, or cut staff, leaving survivors with fewer options, especially in rural communities.

“We’re 24 hours a day, seven days a week. We never close. There’s never a holiday,” Girtman said. “If you start cutting services to domestic violence and sexual assault, where do victims go?”