April 17, 2025
Congressman John Carter
Member, House Appropriations Committee
2208 Rayburn House Office building
Washington, D.C. 20515
Dear Congressman Carter,
Thank you for inviting us to submit our budget request for the FY26 appropriations process. As part of the Commerce, Justice, and Science Appropriations bill, the undersigned organizations are requesting several changes regarding the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA).
According to the Centers for Disease Control, each year there are 6.5 million male victims and 5.9 million female victims of domestic violence (CDC, https://www.cdc.gov/nisvs/documentation/NISVSReportonIPV_2022.pdf , Table 2).
One of its largest VAWA programs is the STOP Violence Against Women Formula Grant program, which each year awards over $170 million to states. It allocates the funding in this way: https://www.justice.gov/ovw/stop-violence-against-women-formula-grant-program
- 25 percent for law enforcement
- 25 percent for prosecutors
- 30 percent for victim services
- 5 percent to state and local courts
We are writing to request that the House Appropriations Committee reduce the funding for this Grant Program, as part of its Commerce, Justice, and Science Appropriation bill. These reductions are essential to curb federally funded programs that are wasteful, harmful, and violate the Fourteenth Amendment which promises equal treatment under law to all citizens.
The undersigned organizations are requesting a 50% reduction to $85 million annually in funding until the following problems areas are resolved. The 50% reduction is appropriate, given the fact that men, who represent over half of all domestic violence victims, are largely ignored by VAWA funded programs and services.
- Domestic violence programs openly discriminate against male victims: https://endtodv.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Discrimination-Against-Male-Victims.pdf Only 9% of victims served under VAWA are male: https://www.vawamei.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/2022-Biennial-Report-to-Congress_FINAL.pdf
- Biased training of police results in 80% of DV arrestees being male: https://endtodv.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Arrest-Policies.pdf
- Prosecutors are less vigorous in their prosecution of women accused of domestic violence: https://endtodv.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Diversion-Programs.pdf
- Biased training of judges has undermined the principle of “equal justice under law.” https://endtodv.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Bias-In-The-Judiciary.pdf
We are asking the Appropriations Committee to institute the following changes with the VAWA program:
- Require 100% audits of all VAWA grants. See report, Continued Culture of Corruption at Domestic Abuse Shelters https://www.saveservices.org/2024/03/continued-culture-of-corruption-at-domestic-abuse-shelters/
- More outreach to male victims, equal services to male victims across the full spectrum of services, especially housing,
If there are any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out.
Sincerely,
Stop Abusive and Violent Environments (SAVE)
Colorado Children’s Center
Colorado Parental Alienation Support
Colorado Resilience
ConservativeHQ.com
Domestic Violence Wears Many Tags
Family Preservation Alliance
Father X Productions
Men Are Good
Men Need to be Heard
Mission America
PA Support & Intervention
Parental Alienation Consortium
Parental Alienation is Real
Parental Alienation Study Group
Washington Initiative for Boys and Men
Working Well With Men