Pence denies slashing domestic violence funding

An advocacy group for domestic violence victims caused a stir Wednesday when it accused Gov. Mike Pence of seeking cuts in state funding for domestic violence services — a charge the governor's office strongly denied.

The Indiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence accused Pence and the state agency that divvies out the funds of seeking more than a $1 million in reductions, even as service providers say demand has skyrocketed amid the furor over NFL player Ray Rice.

"It's total fabrication that Governor Pence is proposing or considering cuts to the domestic violence fund," said Kara Brooks, a spokeswoman for the governor.

Rather, proposed spending on programs is in line with last year — about $2 million, according to the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute, the state agency that oversees the money.

But Laura Berry, executive director of the Indiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence, provided the Indianapolis Star with an email from the ICJI confirming that of $3.5 million allocated for domestic violence prevention, the the governor's office is seeking $160,395 in reversions.

An ICJI subcommittee is also recommending that more than $800,000 be withheld until shelters provide more details on how additional funds would be spent, according to an ICJI spokesman.

Those may not represent year-over-year cuts, Berry acknowledged, but it is unused money that could be used to address the problem of domestic violence.

"We're playing with lives," she said, "because we're having to say, 'Are you at risk of being killed tonight? If not, call us back tomorrow.' "

The ICJI, whose 15-member board includes 10 gubernatorial appointees, is expected to vote on the funding at a meeting Friday.

The state's decision to withhold some available funds comes at a time when domestic violence shelters are reporting a sharp increase in demands for service because of the publicity surrounding Rice and other NFL players who face accusations of domestic violence.

The NFL suspended Rice indefinitely on Sept. 8, after TMZ.com posted a video of the Baltimore Ravens running back punching his then-fiancée in the face during a February incident in an Atlantic City elevator.

Since then, Indiana service providers have seen a sharp uptick in women seeking help, Berry said. Middle Way House in Bloomington, for example, has seen a 77 percent increase in demand, Berry said.

Funding for the Julian Center, a domestic violence shelter and service provider in Indianapolis, would fall from a recommended $125,000 to about $30,000 under the state's current spending proposal, said Betsy Whaley, vice president of programs and community collaboration.

The lost funds would pay for the center's 24-hour crisis hotline and other services, Whaley said.

The center's shelter is consistently at capacity, and calls to the hotline have shot up since the Ray Rice video became public, setting off a national debate about domestic violence.

That debate has included calls for NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell's resignation over the league's handling of domestic violence accusations, and criticism of Paul George, the Indiana Pacers player who stirred controversy when he tweeted that Rice should be allowed to play.

Call Star reporter Tony Cook at (317) 444-6081. Follow him on Twitter: @indystartony.