Louisiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence (LCADV) and allies — advocates and public officials — have been a constant presence in Baton Rouge throughout the 2025 Legislative process, using strong data to point out insufficiencies in the proposed budget and urging lawmakers to end the practice of one-time funding for domestic violence shelters.
“Louisiana is overdue to establish a permanent, adequate funding base for statewide domestic violence services,” says Winn’s DART advocate Annie Goods. “This investment — and the message it sends — will save lives, support families in crisis, and build safer, more resilient communities.”
The annual “Day at the Capitol” on Monday, May 12, attracted the support of Gov. Jeff Landry’s office, with the staff turning out in purple to support LCADV, and Laurie Marien, Director of Women’s Policy, sharing a proclamation declaring May 12 LCADV Day in Louisiana.
“We are seeking $10 million for the upcoming fiscal year to help ensure that no survivors are turned away when they seek help and that every community has access to the support and safety resources they need,” Goods observes.
The $10 million appropriation would go to the Family Violence Prevention Program within the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) and is intended to maintain and expand emergency shelters, outreach services, legal advocacy and crisis response for victims of domestic violence and their children.
LCADV data to support this request includes:
• Unmet need remains high: Louisiana’s 16 domestic violence shelters serve all 64 parishes, yet shelter beds are consistently full. Prior to state investment, more than 2,600 requests for shelter went unmet each year due to lack of capacity. In human terms, that means an average of seven times each day a victim seeking safety was turned away because there was no available space.
• Recent gains are at risk: In 2023-24, an additional $7 million in state funding allowed LCADV to add 229 new shelter beds — raising the statewide total to just over 600 — and to open 11 new outreach offices, reducing unmet shelter requests to a historic low.
• Public Safety and moral responsibility: Louisiana consistently ranks among the states with the highest rates of domestic violence homicides, with a domestic homicide rate nearly twice the national average. A 2021 Legislative Auditor’s report concluded that the state does not adequately fund domestic violence services and recommended increased appropriations.
“Federal funding — your tax dollars — is critically important to organizations such as LCADV to keep shelters across Louisiana open, including the DART’s shelter that covers Jackson parish victims, and to expand community programs supporting victims of domestic abuse,” says Goods. “Please let your Congressional representatives know your feelings.”
The National Day of Action Against Domestic Violence, to be held on June 5, is a nationwide effort to raise awareness about domestic violence and advocate for increased federal funding for support services. It brings together individuals, organizations, and communities to highlight the need for resources like shelters and hotlines that help survivors. Activities include rallies, social media campaigns, and contacting lawmakers to push for better support for those affected by domestic violence.