Department of Justice proposed plans to consolidate the Office on Violence Against Women into the Bureau of Justice Grants

Life Span staunchly opposes the proposed plans that would effectively eliminate the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW). Established in 1978 in Cook County, Illinois, Life Span is dedicated to empowering survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking. Through client-centered services, systemic advocacy, and community engagement, we help survivors and their children live free from violence, leverage their strengths, and achieve self-sufficiency.

Life Span has relied on Violence Against Women Act (“VAWA”) funding consistently for an estimated 30 years to support our work in providing vital services to almost 2,000 survivors and 3,000 community members each year.  This VAWA funding is derived from a variety of funding sources, including:

For over 25 years, OVW has served as the only federal agency exclusively dedicated to supporting victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking. Because these crimes require specialized expertise and focused leadership, Congress legally mandated that OVW remain a separate, independent entity. The proposed consolidation directly violates the Violence Against Women Act and exceeds the Department of Justice’s authority. Furthermore, folding OVW into a generic grant-making office will dismantle its national leadership and inevitably increase government inefficiency and costs. Contrary to its stated objectives, this reorganization will force service providers to navigate complex new layers of bureaucracy. This operational friction will divert critical time and resources away from lifesaving, mission-critical work, ultimately endangering survivors and the broader community.

For these reasons, Life Span strongly objects to the proposed changes.