Vermont Network urges stable funding, vehicle and debt protections for survivors at Judiciary hearing

Sarah Robinson, executive director of the Vermont Network Against Domestic and Sexual Violence, told the Senate Judiciary Committee on Jan. 16 that the statewide nonprofit and its 15 member organizations need sustainable funding and three legal changes to protect survivors.

"We are a statewide nonprofit organization," Robinson said. "Our members are 15 independent nonprofits that operate throughout the state of Vermont and provide services to victims of domestic and sexual violence." She said members answered more than 23,000 hotline calls in 2023 and provided in-person services to more than 8,000 individuals.

The Vermont Network asked lawmakers to establish a new, sustainable revenue source for the Domestic and Sexual Violence Fund and to make other investments to meet increased demand. "The fund's revenue sources — a portion of surcharges on criminal offenses, civil penalties and marriage-license fees — are not keeping up with need," said Charley Glitzerman, policy director at the Vermont Network. He said members have been largely flat-funded through the fund for 15 years and the legislature has repeatedly needed one-time appropriations to keep programs operating.

Why this matters: network leaders said rising shelter stays, inflation and more-complex cases mean advocates are spending longer periods supporting people who have fled abusive relationships. Robinson described shelter overflow in some counties where programs must place families in motels. "We had 35 children in shelter when we were there, and 18 rooms at a local motel for overflow," she said.

Specific legislative priorities presented to the committee included: - Creating a new, sustainable revenue source for the Domestic and Sexual Violence Fund and related investments for service providers; - Updating vehicle- and device-related stalking law and allowing survivors to request possession of a vehicle as relief under the Domestic Violence Protection Order statute; - Creating a statutory process to address coerced debt so creditors stop collection and credit reports can be corrected; and - Expanding access to sexual-assault protection orders by authorizing 24-hour filing so survivors can request relief outside regular court hours.

Robinson and Glitzerman outlined programs the network operates or supports: a small legal clinic focusing largely on protection orders, parentage and divorce work; DIVAS, which provides advocacy inside the Chittenden Regional Correctional Facility; Deaf Vermonters Advocacy Services; a Vermont Forensic Nursing Program that trains nurses to provide forensic medical care in emergency departments; and oversight of certified domestic violence accountability programs that work with people who cause harm.

Robinson said a recent survey of people at Chittenden Regional Correctional Facility found that more than 90% had experienced domestic or sexual violence at some point in their lives.

On coerced debt, Glitzerman said the draft language is not final but the network is looking at models from other states such as Texas and Connecticut. "We're advocating for similar legislation to create a process for survivors to request creditors cease collecting on coerced debt and remove coerced debt from their credit report," he said. Glitzerman also said the network expects to include multiple verification pathways so a creditor or other entity can confirm that debt was incurred under coercion.

Robinson described how the fund is administered. The fund was established in 2008 and flows through the Vermont Center for Crime Victim Services; it currently supports just under $800,000 in expenses and, she said, is projecting a roughly $175,000 deficit in the current fiscal year.

Committee members asked about proof standards for coerced debt, the proposed 24-hour protection-order filing (Glitzerman said the measure is being introduced on both House and Senate sides and appears in draft bill language), and the scope of shelter needs. Robinson said shelter stays have lengthened in recent years; formerly typical stays of 30–90 days now often extend six months or longer, and in some cases exceed a year.

The Vermont Network offered to provide draft legislative language to the committee and legislative counsel. Robinson and Glitzerman emphasized that the requests include both statutory updates and sustained funding to meet increased demand.

Ending note: The network asked the committee to consider the combination of funding and statutory changes together, saying legal protections without stable program funding will not meet survivors' needs.