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January 11, 2010

Budget cuts affect services to female victims

OKLAHOMA CITY — Some services to women who are victims of domestic violence or sexual assault are being cut because of statewide budget problems.



State agencies have been ordered to make 10 percent cuts in each of the past two months on top of a 5 percent cut each month since July.



"It hurts my heart," said Marcia Smith, executive director of the state Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault. "Demand for help is up, but budget problems are forcing some services to go away."



About 29 state-supported programs offer help to domestic violence and sexual assault victims, Smith said.



The executive director of the Women's Resource Center in Norman said the cuts have resulted in the loss of counseling and prevention services, as well as the closing of administrative offices.



"We no longer have a public place for women to drop in while they work up their courage to tell us what is wrong," JoAnn Smith said.



The agency's counseling program served an average of 500 women and children per year, she said.



"As of Jan. 31, that's gone; so is our education and prevention programs that served conservatively about 1,500 people a year," she said.



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