Between 2024 and 2025, domestic violence fatalities spiked from 114 to 157 according to a report from the Ohio Domestic Violence Network.

The report states 84% of all deaths were the result of gun violence and 144 people were shot in 108 cases, with only 12 surviving.

On Tuesday, Ohio State Representative Lauren McNally announced nearly $97,000 in grant money to COMPASS Family and Community Services and the Mahoning County Prosecutor's Office, two organizations who work to reduce violence against women.

"Victims and survivors deserve care and resources. I believe that this grant opportunity will go a long way in helping people find justice and the support they need to move forward," McNally said. "Now more than ever we really need to be dumping resources at our local level to be able to combat this stuff, create victim support services," she said.

That's exactly the goal of the grant is to improve local capacity for law enforcement, prosecution strategies, and victim services.

"It can either enhance something you're already doing or help you create a completely new program or help you get more resources to be able to prosecute," McNally said.

Jennifer Gray, MS, CA, social services and development officer at Compass Family Services, said the funding stabilizes and secures their programming. "It is essential to our success and we appreciate the work the state does to administer these funds for all of us across the state," Gray said.

The organizations receive this money every year but the amount can fluctuate depending on the money available. It's also very competitive and without it, Gray said services would diminish significantly.