Attorney General's Press Conference

     Iowa Attorney General, Tom Miller, held a press conference Wednesday January 7th at the Iowa State Capitol.  Iowa's major television, radio and print news outlets attended to hear AG Miller, domestic violence and sexual assault experts and crime victims, explain the crisis facing victim service programs if they do not receive a $4,000,000 state allocation in the 2009 state budget.  Victims service providers stated that if the funding does not come through, as many as nine of the 31 domestic violence and sexual assault centers in Iowa will be forced to close their doors. 

     AG Miller argued that the needs of crime victims, especially children should remain a top priority in difficult financial times.  IowaCASA director, Beth Barnhill, also stressed "Women are at greater risk when they are forced to leave their communities, jobs and take their kids out of school in order to seek shelter, which may be several counties away from their communities."

    Read the full comments of

Katie Thompson, Author and Abuse Survivor

Beth Barnhill, Director of IowaCASA

Mary Ingham, Director of Crisis Intervention Service in Mason City

Visit the press conference photo gallery.

Local, State and National Press are taking notice.  Read the stories

VICTIMS to SURVIVORS on MSNBC!

Watch Video from KWWL (5th story on webpage)

THEonline.com

The Globe Gazette