Find your members of Congress and then call and email them using the scripts and template below. Our elected officials represent the values and interests of all the community members in their constituencies, including survivors. Let Congress know that protecting domestic violence services is not only a priority, but an investment in community safety!

Find Your Members of Congress  

Download PDF of Congressional Delegation Contact Information

To contact your Senators and Representative by phone, call the US Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121 and ask to be connected to these offices, or find their direct Washington, D.C. office phone numbers on their website.

Use our call scripts below to craft your personalized message to Congress. Calls make the biggest impact - so call today, call tomorrow, and keep the call volume up! You can also leave a message with your Members' congressional staff or their voicemail. 

Call Script for Community Members: 

Hello, my name is [your name], and I’m a constituent from [your city and state and, if applicable, your organization].

I’m calling to make sure [Senator’s/Representative’s name] knows that federal funding makes up more than 40% of the combined budgets for Kentucky's coalition of domestic violence programs. This funding saves lives.

[If you're comfortable, briefly share how you have seen or experienced the impact of domestic violence services in your community].

A significant loss of federal funding would have immediate and severe consequences for survivors and their families, putting at risk critical services they rely on for safety, stability, and recovery.

I am urging [Senator’s/Representative’s name] to allocate adequate federal funding in the Fiscal Year 2026 budget for domestic violence programs.

I am also urging [Senator’s/Representative’s name] to do everything in their power to get federal agencies to reinstate and protect the offices and staff that distribute federal funding so that domestic violence programs will be able to access that funding in a timely manner.  

You can help save lives by protecting funding for domestic violence services. Thank you. 

Call Script for DV Program Employees:

Hello, my name is [your name]. I’m a constituent from [your city and state] and I work at [your member program's name], which is part of Kentucky's coalition of domestic violence programs, ZeroV.

I’m calling to make sure [Senator’s/Representative’s name] knows that ZeroV and its 15 member programs rely on $20 million in federal funding to provide lifesaving services to survivors and their children. This funding saves lives.

[If you're comfortable, briefly share how you have seen or experienced the impact of domestic violence services in your community].

A significant loss of federal funding would have immediate and severe consequences for survivors and their families, putting at risk critical services they rely on for safety, stability, and recovery.

I am urging [Senator’s/Representative’s name] to allocate adequate federal funding in the Fiscal Year 2026 budget for domestic violence programs.

I am also urging [Senator’s/Representative’s name] to do everything in their power to get federal agencies to reinstate and protect the offices and staff that distribute federal funding so that domestic violence programs will be able to access that funding in a timely manner.  

You can help save lives by protecting funding for domestic violence services. Thank you.

Multi-Issue Call Script - Defend Domestic Violence Services and Public Safety Net Programs for Survivors

Hello, my name is [your name]. I’m a constituent from [your city and state]. I’m calling to urge [Senator’s/Representative’s name] to defend lifesaving and supportive services for survivors of domestic violence and their children.  

Specifically, I’m concerned about [pick one or two per call]: 

-Cuts to federal funding for domestic violence programs. ZeroV and its 15 member programs rely on $20 million in federal funding to provide lifesaving services to survivors and their children. A significant loss of federal funding would have immediate and severe consequences for survivors and their families, putting at risk critical services they rely on for safety, stability, and recovery. 

-Significant reductions of staff at the federal offices that distribute federal funding so that domestic violence programs. Without staff to manage funding streams, domestic violence programs could experience delays in receiving their funding, which would put lives at risk. 

-Cuts to public safety net programs. Kentucky’s domestic violence programs rely on referrals to other service providers supported by federal funds to meet survivors’ needs, including Medicaid, SNAP, legal aid programs, health departments, housing programs, and more. Loss of funding to these services would be detrimental to domestic violence programs’ ability to support survivors and their children. 

-The detrimental impact on public safety infrastructure should Congress cut funding for domestic violence programs. Kentucky’s domestic violence programs provide training for law enforcement officers, conduct lethality assessment programs, provide healthy relationship education that helps reduce and prevent violence in our communities, and  

-The detrimental impact on public safety should Congress cut funding for domestic violence programs. One study found that nearly 20% of IPV-related homicides are corollary victims, such as family, friends, neighbors, people who intervene in IPV, law enforcement, and bystanders. Efforts to end intimate partner violence not only support the safety of survivors and their children but also the safety of the public at large. 

-The harmful impact on public safety should Congress cut funding for domestic violence programs. There is a known connection between domestic violence and mass shootings. One analysis found that in 46% of shootings in which four or more people are shot, wounded, or killed, the perpetrator shot a current or former partner or family member. Efforts to end intimate partner violence are essential to the safety of the public at large. 

-[If comfortable, briefly share how you have seen or experienced the impact of domestic violence services in your community]. 

I am urging [Senator’s/Representative’s name] to do everything in their power to defend [domestic violence services AND/OR public safety net programs] that survivors rely on to survive, stabilize, and heal in the aftermath of abuse. Thank you. 

Use our email template below to craft your personalized message to Congress. Many members of Congress have staff who will respond to your email to verify its receipt, and most emails are directly replied to by your congressional leaders. 

Email Template 

Dear [Rep. xxxx /Sen. xxxx], 

I am writing to make sure [Rep. xxxx /Sen. xxxx] understands the importance of federal funding for domestic violence programs granted to states and communities through the Violence Against Women Act, the Victims of Crime Act, the HHS Office on Family Violence Prevention and Services, and the DOJ Office of Violence Against Women. Federal grant cancellations, worrisome delays to the release of funding opportunities, firings at federal agencies that distribute funding for domestic violence services, and proposed cuts to domestic violence services in the Whitehouse’s skinny budget have me worried about the future of domestic violence services in Kentucky. 

In Kentucky, ZeroV and its 15 member programs rely on nearly $20.2 million in federal funding to provide lifesaving services to survivors of domestic violence and their children. Federal funding accounts for more than 40% of the programs' combined budgets, and it supports every domestic violence service our coalition provides, including crisis lines, emergency shelter, safety planning, court advocacy, housing assistance, food assistance, and more. This funding saves lives.

[If you're comfortable, briefly share how you have seen or experienced the impact of domestic violence services in your community].

Kentucky's coalition of domestic violence programs not only supports the safety of survivors and their children but also the safety of the public at large. One study found that nearly 20% of intimate partner violence-related homicides are corollary victims, such as family, friends, neighbors, people who intervene in IPV, law enforcement responders, and bystanders. There is also a known connection between domestic violence and mass shootings. One analysis found that in 46% of shootings in which four or more people are shot, wounded, or killed, the perpetrator shot a current or former partner or family member. When we work to keep survivors safe from domestic violence, we’re also working to keep entire communities safe from violence. 

I am urging you to allocate adequate federal funding in the FY26 budget to maintain services for survivors of domestic violence. And please do everything in your power to get federal agencies to reinstate and protect the offices and staff that distribute federal funding so that domestic violence programs will be able to access that funding in a timely manner.  

I hope you understand that federal funding through the Violence Against Women Act, the Victims of Crime Act, the HHS Office on Family Violence Prevention and Services, and the DOJ Office of Violence Against Women is essential to continue the lifesaving work of serving survivors and working to end domestic violence. 

I would welcome a meeting with you or a member of your staff to discuss this further.  

Sincerely, 

[Your Name]

Like, share, and follow our GET LOUD campaign on socials. Make sure to participate in our #GetLoudForSurvivors campaign on social media (Facebook, Instagram, X), to spread awareness, rally support, and raise the volume for survivors!

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View ZeroV's Member Program Map below to find your region's domestic violence program. As always, ZeroV's regional domestic violence programs provide free, confidential, and trauma-informed services to survivors and communities in all 120 Kentucky counties, 24/7, 365 days a year.