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Abigail K.

Dr. Prager

EN142 Composition and Rhetoric

October 24th, 2023

Annotated Bibliography

Research Questions: Are Minnesotan domestic violence shelters and resource centers

underfunded? What is the extent of underfunding? How do the funding, accessibility, and

resources for domestic violence shelters in different areas of Minnesota compare to their rates of

domestic violence? How does a lack of access to domestic violence resources impact rates and

hurt survivors? What possible solutions are there for areas that lack proper funding?

“2022 Homicide Report Relationship Abuse in Minnesota” Violence Free Minnesota, 2023, pp.

1-66,

https://www.vfmn.org/_files/ugd/f4bdb8_017cd02d8f3343abb1450e7f3d64b2fd.pdf.

Accessed 13 Oct. 2023.

Violence Free Minnesota is a coalition in Minnesota that has worked to end domestic

partner violence in Minnesota for over 40 years. Their 2022 Homicide Report is part of an annual

collection of reports that provide statistics on partner violence and homicide in Minnesota. The

2022 Homicide Report also educates on the nature of domestic violence, its risk factors and

impacts, recommendations for prevention of domestic violence, the research methods used in

creating the report, and a section devoted to remembering those reported to have lost their lives

to domestic violence in 2022. Violence Free Minnesota reports in this source that at least 24

people lost their lives to domestic violence in Minnesota in 2022. The use of the phrase “at least”
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is clarified later in the report when they state that they use it because they rely on public record,

and it is unclear how many deaths caused by domestic violence occur each year that go

unreported. The report also states some vital statistics in relation to domestic violence rates in

Minnesota in 2022, especially as it pertains to the distribution of domestic violence throughout

the state. In 2022, 55% of the victims lived in the Metro Area as opposed to the greater

Minnesota area. This is a decrease from 65% in 2021, but still a large proportion. This report also

indicates that 65% of the victims had a documented history of domestic violence (documented in

police or shelter reports), and 30% of the victims were separated or attempting to leave their

abusers. These statistics are important because, while documentation and separation are vital

steps in escaping domestic violence, they are also some of the biggest risk factors in intimate

partner homicide. The report delves deeper into many other risk factors for homicide relating to

domestic violence and educates on the struggles for those attempting to seek resources and relief

from it. Throughout the report, Violence Free Minnesota relies on examples and evidence from

the 24 victims who died by intimate partner homicide in 2022, especially in the educational

section on power and control. The report also provides recommendations and suggestions for the

prevention of domestic violence in Minnesota. Its main focuses are on the decriminalization of

victims, navigation of the legal system, overcoming racial disparities, access to healthcare,

housing for victims, combating economic abuse, addressing financial instability, preventing

public and workplace violence, and specific recommendations for the conduct of the media. It

then discusses its reporting criteria, explains its methods, and ends with a remembrance of the

victims.

Violence Free Minnesota is a respected coalition with over 90 member organizations that

has been working to prevent domestic violence in Minnesota each year. Their annual report on
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intimate partner homicide has been a respected source of data for researchers and advocates for

over 30 years. There is no state or federal agency that collects accurate or in-depth information

on domestic violence and partner homicide. Due to that, Violence Free Minnesota’s work is vital

but limited. As acknowledged in the “Report Methods” section, their research is as accurate and

comprehensive as possible, but it relies solely on public record and media coverage, which

leaves gaps in their report. Nonetheless, this is a respected and key report on domestic violence

and intimate partner homicide in Minnesota.

This source helps answer to some extent the last three research questions listed above. It

addresses the issue of unequal funding for shelters and resources in comparison to the

distribution of domestic violence in Minnesota, stating that “Minnesota has a long history of

systems and advocacy partnerships, but strong collaborations do not exist in every community.”

Throughout the recommendations section of the report, it highlights many of the areas where

domestic violence resources are lacking. Combined with the statistics that indicate over half of

2022’s homicide victims were located in one centrally underfunded area, this is a massive

problem. The report’s purpose itself shows how a lack of funding and resources harms victims,

reporting on the worst outcome faced by 24 victims this year. Their tragic and preventable stories

illustrate the devastating impact that this neglect of funding and resources can cause. The report

ends by providing many suggestions to answer my final research question, compiling a list of the

societal and systemic causes of domestic violence and providing actions to work towards a

violence-free Minnesota, such as community-based victim advocacy, community task forces,

institutionalized policies for health institutions, and notably the implementation of the Domestic

Violence Housing First (DVHF) model. The DVHF model is an approach that values shelter as a

human right and a key component of domestic violence prevention. It has been shown to
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promote safety and stability for victims and children of domestic violence, and it is a key

solution to one of Minnesota’s main domestic violence problems.

“Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Prevention Grant Program Overview.” Domestic

Violence and Sexual Assault Prevention Grant Program - MN Dept. of Health, Minnesota

Department of Health, 3 Oct. 2022,

www.health.state.mn.us/communities/svp/mnresponse/dvgrant.html. Accessed 17 Oct.

2023.

This webpage article published by the Minnesota Department of Health details the

Minnesota State Legislature's Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Prevention Grant Program

from 2019. The legislature appropriated only $750,000 in funds for 2 years to begin in 2020 to

fund “community-driven and culturally relevant practices to prevent domestic violence and

sexual assault.” The funds were divided between six different community-focused domestic and

sexual violence organizations: the Lao Assistance Center in collaboration with the Asian-Pacific

Islander (API) Women’s Health Coalition, SEWA-AIFW Incorportion, the Somali Community

Resettlement Services in collaboration with the Healing, Outreach, Prevention, and Education

(HOPE) Center, Upstream Arts, Women of Nations, and the Women’s Initiative for

Self-Empowerment. The funded activities listed in the article are consistent with the Centers for

Disease Control and Prevention’s suggested strategies to prevent domestic violence, and the

factors addressed focused on protective factors. Quotes from the grantee organizations were

written in the webpage article, and a list of their main goals, including collaboration, listening,

adaptation, using holistic approaches, and ensuring equitable access, was announced.
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The Minnesota Department of Health is a state health agency devoted to “protecting,

maintaining, and improving the health of all Minnesotans.” As a state agency, it is their duty to

provide accurate and informative accounts of health-related topics to Minnesotans. Their web

page dedicated to the Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Prevention Grant Program is a

credible source of information on state-funded domestic violence prevention grants in

Minnesota. Though the webpage article pertains to a grant issued by the Minnesota State

Legislature from over four years ago, it is still the most recent grant of its type. The webpage

itself was last updated in 2022, and no changes have occurred since.

This webpage article by the Minnesota Department of Health pertaining to the 2019’s

Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Prevention Grant Program answers the question of

monetary resource allocation for Minnesotan domestic violence shelters and resource centers: are

they underfunded? According to the Minnesota Department of Health, the most recent grant in

the last four years for domestic violence prevention in Minnesota totaled only $750,000, and that

was split between six different shelters and resource centers. This means that, on average, each

organization received only a one-time grant of $125,000. Though the program itself is a step in

the right direction, with operating costs and resource maintenance, $125,000 is not enough to

adequately fund a domestic violence shelter or resource center. This, combined with the fact that

only six organizations in the entirety of Minnesota were grant recipients and that no other

motions for larger grants have been made since, illustrates the severe underfunding of

Minnesota’s domestic violence shelters and resource centers.

Malcolm, Jan K. “2022 Legislative Report for Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Grant

Program.” Minnesota Department of Health Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Grant
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Program, Minnesota Department of Health, Feb. 2022,

www.health.state.mn.us/communities/svp/documents/dvsaprogramlegreport2022.pdf.

Accessed 17 Oct. 2023

This 2022 report published by the Minnesota Department of Health is the Legislative

Report for Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Prevention Grant Program. It details the

recipients, fund division, impacts, and potential grant continuation that came from the Minnesota

State Legislature’s 2019 grant of $750,000 for domestic violence prevention. Of the

three-quarters of a million dollars provided by the grant, the Minnesota Department of Health

retained fifteen percent for the promotion and administration of the program. The six grantees

were then recipients of only $86,250–$124,250. The total amount granted to the organizations

was only $652,000. The report acknowledged that the eligibility requirements for the grant

program excluded tribal domestic violence and sexual assault programs and mentioned potential

rectification of this issue in the future. The report detailed the work that the six recipient

organizations undertook over the past two years of the program, with special emphasis on the

initial outlined goals. The report ended with a conclusion on the true impact of the grant

program, highlighting specific successes with the educational programs. While the recipients

were able to make progress in domestic violence and sexual assault prevention and education,

the Minnesota Department of Health acknowledges that “domestic violence and sexual assault

continue to be [a] major public health problem facing the people of Minnesota." However, due to

optimistic results from the initial grant program, there is a possibility for its continuance and

expansion in the future.

As stated above, the Minnesota Department of Health is a reputable and credible

association. The introduction to the report is written by Jan K. Malcolm, who is the
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commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Health. This report was intended for the

Minnesota State Legislature as an account of the use of their grant funding. Therefore, it is

detailed and accurate in its information concerning fund division, program outcomes, and

program drawbacks.

This report serves to answer multiple research questions posed in this annotated

bibliography. Again, like the webpage article on this grant program, it addresses the issue of

underfunding domestic violence resources in Minnesota. This report, however, includes a

breakdown of the specific fund allocation, further highlighting the lack of adequate funding for

the six recipients. The report also answers the question of how specific communities are hurt by

a lack of funding and resources, such as the tribal communities in Minnesota who weren't even

eligible for the grant programs. Though it was underfunded, the program yielded some

successful results, specifically in the educational portion, and this success provides a foundation

for the continuation of the program in the future. Though no other grants have been issued at this

time, the continuation of this program in the future, in a more well-funded capacity, could be one

solution to the domestic violence issues plaguing Minnesota.

“Minneapolis, MN Domestic Violence Help, Programs.” DomesticShelters.Org,

www.domesticshelters.org/help/mn/minneapolis?page=1. Accessed 15 Oct. 2023.

This website is a database compiled by DomesticShelters.org listing the eight existing

domestic violence resource centers in the Minneapolis metro area. Of the eight available resource

centers, only five offer help hotlines. The database clearly lists the main phone lines and hotlines

(if available) to call if you are seeking any of the services these centers provide. These resources

are listed clearly under the title of each of the establishments and include things such as
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emergency services, counseling support, and legal assistance among others. Unfortunately only

one single shelter, Tubman’s Chrysalis Center, offers emergency housing. This webpage also

notes that the cities surrounding Minneapolis are full of more than 29 different shelters and

resource centers.

DomesticShelters.org is an organization devoted to connecting survivors and current

experiencers of domestic violence with the appropriate shelter and resources available nearest to

them. Along with providing shelter resource information, they have educational resources, online

chat features, and charitable donation opportunities. They began as a nonprofit run out of

Arizona in 2014 called Theresa’s Fund, and then branched off and became DomesticShelters.org,

a comprehensive online database for domestic violence shelter locations. Though they have a

credible database, they don’t include non-domestic violence-specific emergency shelter

locations. Though these emergency shelter locations aren’t tailored specifically to survivors of

domestic violence, they could still be a lifesaving and accessible resource for those seeking

shelter, and their lack of inclusion reflects upon the source.

DomesticShelters.org helps to answer the question of how the funding, accessibility, and

resources for domestic violence shelters in different areas of Minnesota compare to their rates of

domestic violence. This database illustrates the lack of shelters and resource centers in the

Minneapolis metro area as compared to surrounding locations. Though there is a denser

population in Minneapolis than in the surrounding suburbs, they only have eight shelter and

resource locations, with only one providing emergency shelter for those escaping domestic

violence. As stated in Violence Free Minnesota’s 2022 Homicide Report, over half of intimate

partner homicides occurred in this metro area. Therefore, the proportion of shelters to rates of

domestic violence is severely low in comparison to the surrounding areas.

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“Petition: VOCA Sign on Letter September 2023”. Open Letter, 2023,

https://nnedv.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/VOCA-Sign-on-Letter-September-2023-2.

pdf?eType=EmailBlastContent&eId=ac289182-d6c6-4aaf-

1159 Signers. Accessed 22 Oct. 2023.

The Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) is the federal aid program that provides the main

source of funding for domestic violence shelters across the United States. In the previous few

years, funding from VOCA has begun to dwindle, and this petition is an open letter from 1159

national, state, tribal, and local victim service providers urging them to increase funding for the

program. The letter details the harmful and fatal impact created by the lack of funding for the

signing organizations, 26 being from Minnesota. If the 40% budget cut proposed by the

President, House, and Senate FY24 budget plans is approved (some areas of VOCA are even

receiving up to 60% cuts), thousands of services across the country will have to lay off staff or

close their doors. This harms all those seeking relief from child abuse, domestic violence, sexual

assault, and elder abuse. It also disproportionately harms rural communities, low-income

communities, and communities of color. If the federal government goes through with these

proposed budget cuts, they are irreparably harming the well-being of the American public as well

as the thousands of victims who seek help and shelter from domestic violence each year.

All 1159 signers of this petition to the chair members of the VOCA committee are

respected and vital organizations providing lifesaving services to their community. This letter

and petition are a plea to lawmakers to help continue the programs they run. This letter is from

September 2023 and provides an up-to-date snapshot of the situation of federal funding for

shelters in Minnesota and the rest of the U.S.

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This open letter and petition to VOCA illustrates the extent to which shelters are being

underfunded in Minnesota and the U.S. by the federal government and highlights their negative

repercussions. The budget cuts proposed by the President, the House, and the Senate are

appalling when considering the vital resources that would be decimated by them. This cutting of

corners by the federal government highlights the crisis of domestic violence in Minnesota and

beyond. Though it can impact anyone and everyone, the government still sees it as an easy issue

to ignore. From newborns to the elderly, domestic violence remains a heinous and growing issue,

and it disproportionately affects communities already at risk. These proposed budget cuts will

have a lasting impact on survivors of domestic violence for years to come.

Shannon Joe, Cathy Wurzer, Aleesa Kuznetsov and Nina Moini. “Many Points of Intervention”:

Behind the Data on Intimate Partner Violence in Minnesota” Minnesota Public Radio, 2

Oct. 2023,

https://www.mprnews.org/episode/2023/10/02/many-points-of-intervention-behind-the-d

ata-on-intimate-partner-violence-in-minnesota. Accessed 23 Oct. 2023.

On October 2nd, 2023, Joe Shannon, the communications manager with Violence Free

Minnesota, went on Minnesota Public Radio (MPR) with host Cathy Wurzer to discuss their

2022 Homicide Report. Shannon discusses instances of preventable death and violence in

Minnesota in the past year, causes of domestic violence, and preventive future solutions.

Shannon uses an instance from Hibbing, Minnesota in 2022 where officers walked away from a

domestic violence call where a woman was begging for help from her abusive partner. Two days

later, that woman died of a traumatic brain injury that could’ve been prevented by law

enforcement intervention. This homicide illustrates the need for more intensive and
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comprehensive police force training on domestic violence situations in Minnesota, as well as the

systematic ways Minnesota fails victims. Violence Free Minnesota recognizes that these

systemic failures, combined with the cycle of power and control, are the root cause of domestic

violence. They have many possible solutions that could all be implemented if the 100+ shelters

and resource centers in Minnesota received adequate funding. One solution could be the

expansion of educational programs for young people that have been shown to be effective in

preventing domestic violence on both ends, with a focus on identifying healthy versus abusive

relationships. Domestic abuse transformation programs have also proven to be effective in

working with perpetrators of abuse to change behaviors that cause abuse and to tackle misogyny

and entitlement. However, these effective programs are in dire need of expansion into more

culturally specific programming and require more funding. Shannon’s findings with Violence

Free Minnesota shows that the situation won’t change until funding is made available.

This radio broadcast from MPR on October 2nd, 2023 features knowledgeable member

of Violence Free Minnesota, Joe Shannon, speaking about the repudiable organization’s findings

in their 2022 Homicide Report. This radio broadcast is from MPR, which is one of Minnesota’s

longest-running and most respected sources of radio news.

This broadcast with guest Joe Shannon from Violence Free Minnesota identifies

underfunding as both a major problem and the root cause of domestic violence in Minnesota.

Shannon states systemic issues as an offshoot of the lack of funding to prevent them, while

providing solutions that could be rectified with that aforementioned funding. Education and

domestic abuse transformation programs could begin, but it would take massive change within

our state to bring that about. Until then, underfunding of domestic violence resources in

Minnesota will continue to plague the community and perpetuate the cycle of power and control.
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Smith, Kelly. “Minnesota and Wisconsin Domestic Violence Shelters Brace for Cuts.” Star

Tribune, 24 Oct. 2023.

https://www.startribune.com/domestic-violence-shelter-hastings-closing-minnesota-wisco

nsin-crime-victims-services-voca/600313830/. Accessed 24 Oct. 2023.

In the wake of closing shelters and budget cuts for Minnesota and the surrounding states,

the Star Tribune published an article investigating the extent and impact of these actions on those

seeking domestic violence resources. The article reports that despite shelters' drop in funding this

year, domestic violence is on the rise, with over 37,000 calls to the statewide crisis line and

already 24 deaths (the same amount that passed in total in 2022). Organizations like Violence

Free Minnesota have emphasized the need for lawmakers to expand funding for crime victim

services to $25 million annually. Lawmakers responded by only approving $17 million. More

locally, shelters have also received budget cuts, with Southwest Crisis Center’s funding dropping

by 20% and a shelter in Hastings having to close its doors. That shelter closing will have a

massive negative impact on seekers of domestic violence resources, as this location provided 21

beds for emergency shelter, which is a resource that is already lacking throughout the state.

Currently, the largest federal funding source for survivors of domestic violence is the Victims of

Crime Act (VOCA), but even that expects at least 40% drops in budget as well. VOCA funding

is often the main source of income for shelters in Minnesota that receive little to no assistance

from the state, so a drop in this funding is detrimentally harmful to them. Shelters have also

begun to suffer from a lack of staff due to burnout and shortages. A shelter in Red Wing had to

temporarily close its 24-bed emergency shelter this year, specifically due to staffing shortages.
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Though shelters in Minnesota have begun to feel the negative impact of these budget cuts, this is

only the start, and they must brace for the worst unless something else is done.

The Star Tribune is a reputable and respected source of local daily news for Minnesotans

and citizens of the surrounding states. As one of the largest newspapers in the country, it

provides accurate and critical information to its readership base. This article was published on

October 24th, 2023, making it an up-to-date source on the state of domestic violence resources in

Minnesota. The author, Kelly Smith, is an investigative staff reporter who specializes in

nonprofits, charity, and philanthropy. She has written for the Star Tribune for 13 years.

Throughout the article, critical interviews with domestic violence shelter staff, nonprofit

coordinators, and activists were included to fuel the story with a range of voices.

This article exposes the extent of underfunding of domestic violence shelters in

Minnesota while explaining how underfunding impacts survivors and seekers of help. Domestic

violence shelters are on the precipice of crisis, with dramatic drops in funding and staffing, all

while dealing with an influx of rising domestic violence rates. This combination will prove

deadly for many, with the domestic violence casualty rate growing each year. When shelters are

underfunded and understaffed, they’re forced to close their doors to the public, even though

many of these shelters are the only source of emergency housing within miles of victims.

According to Jeff Mortenson, the organizer of 360 Communities, the shelter that closed in

Hastings, “the demand and the need is there and it's growing," he said. "Just because we don't

have a shelter [in Hastings], doesn't mean it goes away." Though shelters may continue to close,

the need for them won’t disappear, and in the coming years, Minnesota may see an increase in

domestic violence-related homicide if the funding for shelters continues to dwindle.

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Washington State Coalition Against Domestic Violence. “Domestic Violence Housing First

Evaluation Findings.” Domestic Violence Housing First Pilot Program Evaluation

Reports, 2013, pp. 1-2,

https://wscadv.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/DVHF_EvaluationFindngsFINALDESIG

NED.pdf Acccessed 23 Oct. 2023.

Domestic Violence Housing First (DVHF) is an approach to domestic violence resources

and support that was piloted in Washington state in the early 2010s. DVHF acts under the

assumption that having a home is one of the main factors keeping victims of domestic abuse

from leaving their dangerous situations. Under DVHF, providing survivors with stable and

permanent housing first and foremost is used to help and treat domestic violence. The

Washington State Coalition Against Domestic Violence (WSCADV) reports that 96% of

program participants retained their housing even 18 months later. Program participants were also

asked to evaluate whether or not the DVHF model increased the safety of them and their children

when escaping domestic abuse; 84% agreed. 18 months later, 76% of program participants were

only minimally relying on the program, allowing organizers to use funds for incoming survivors.

Overall, WSCADV found that the DVHF model provided a safe and stable environment for

children of domestic violence, improved the health and wellbeing of its participants, restored

their feelings of self-worth and importance, and helped to connect survivors with resources that

matched their personal beliefs and cultural practices. The WSCADV still uses the DVHF

program to this day.

The WSCADV is an organization that provides resources and shelter to those seeking

relief from domestic violence. They are a respected and safe organization in Washington that has

helped to expand and sustain resources for domestic violence services within their state. The
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program and evaluation were done in two separate cohorts during 2011 and 2012 and included

over 500 participants from various backgrounds and communities. Though this report is a decade

old, it still serves as an accurate assessment of the DVHF model’s implementation.

Violence Free Minnesota has cited the success of the DVHF in their 2022 Homicide

Report as a potential solution for Minnesota’s rising domestic violence crisis. As seen in its

successful implementation in Washington State, the DVHF model helps to eliminate barriers to

survivors seeking relief as well as promote long-term stability for them and their children. Often,

it is this lack of shelter that prevents survivors from seeking help, but if this plan were

implemented in Minnesota, it is likely the findings would be similarly successful. The main

problem with this model is that providing housing and resources are expensive and

time-consuming and would require heavy funding. Given that funding doesn’t even cover costs

for current shelters and programs, the Minnesota state government and the federal government

will need to start seeing domestic violence as a serious issue deserving of funding before the

DVHF model can be successfully implemented.