D.A’s Office loses funding for domestic violence services

Agencies throughout the country receive funds through VAWA, or the Violence Against Women Act–but the Dona Ana District Attorney’s office did not meet the criteria this year.

The D.A’s office used these funds to pay for a full time attorney, a VAWA grant prosecutor.

Rebecca Duffin, seen here with D.A Mark D’Antonio is that prosecutor.

She handles nearly all felony domestic violence cases. The New Mexico Crime Reparation Commission allocates VAWA funding.

It could not say how much funding the D.A’s office lost, or what criteria it failed to hit, but the money not only funds a prosecutor. Social service groups like the La Casa shelter and La Pinon will continue to receive funding that’s granted separately.

“Without this VAWA funding, we would be in a place where we could not help the victims at court there’s really not a lot of legal services in this area for victims of domestic violence so having to go to the court and face their abuser in a system they don’t understand is overwhelmingly intimidating,” Theresa Armendariz, the Executive Director of La Casa said.

“If La Casa loses money, that hurts La Pinon also because we provide referrals and we work in a collaborative manner. So anytime that victim service funding is cut from our community, all of us are at risk at that point in time,” Donna Richmond, the Executive Director of La Pinon Rape Crisis Center said.

“The D.A’s office lost the grant after not meeting certain requirements. We’re in the process of appealing the committee’s decision. However, it doesn’t effect our office except from a financial standpoint. We’ll always continue to prosecute cases like we always have,” Patrick Hayes, spokesman for district attorney’s office said.

If the appeal is approved, The New Mexico Crime Reparation Commission says the D.A’s office will receive funding on April 6th.