Court Advocates Protest Budget Cuts

Because of state budget cuts, the Rhode Island Coalition Against Domestic Violence will stop providing court advocacy services to victims of domestic violence on Mondays, starting June 3.

On Friday, May 31, RICADV staffers, representatives of the Rhode Island Attorney General's Office, and clients who have been served by the program gathered at the Garrahy Court Complex in Providence to protest the cuts.

In the East Bay, the Women's Center of Rhode Island, which serves clients in East Providence, handled 4,654 cases at the Garrahy Court Complex in Providence.

Executive Director Lori DiPersio of the Women's Recource Center of Newport and Bristol Counties explained that the service cuts will force domestic violence victims to return to local police departments to extend no-contact orders that might otherwise be in effect when court hearings are held.

"We have people who may need to get their restraining orders renewed on Monday, so they're going to have to wait until Tuesday," DiPersio said.

See the accompanying video from last week's press conference held by the Rhode Island Coalition Against Domestic Violence.