Kansas Attorney General Stephen Six promised to work with sexual violence centers across Kansas to maintain grant funding and government cooperation at an awareness conference Thursday.

GaDuGi director of survivor services, Elyse Towey, said that because of major federal budget cuts, the state and local governments had less money to fund sexual abuse clinics.

Towey said despite tight purse strings, they would maintain all survivor services when making decisions about their budget cuts.

“These women are our sisters, our daughters, our aunts,” Towey said. “If it were my loved one, I would want to know someone was there to hold their hand through their process no matter what.”

Six visited Lawrence’s GaDuGi Safe Center to show the government’s role in awareness for Sexual Assault Awareness Month.

“We have come a long way, especially in Douglas County,” Six said, “but we still have a long way to go.”

Six said that while Lawrence was doing well, many other towns in Kansas don’t have the resources to be as effective.

He said the state will focus on decreasing the amount of rapes in Kansas and making sure those who do suffer from sexual assault are taken care of despite the monetary issues.

“We are dedicated to making sure victims know their rights and services,” Six said, “and that those services are of the highest quality.”

Laura Montgomery, GaDuGi treasurer and board member, said it was especially important for people in Lawrence to be tuned in because most sexual assault victims are college-aged, 16-24 years old.

“You can either ignore it,” Montgomery said, “or you can become a part of trying to end the violence.”

Montgomery and Towey asked students to help by volunteering or using their campus resources to fundraise for the center.

She said they relied on community help just to buy food for Thursday’s conference.

“Starbucks donated the coffee today, and we had to ask our board members for donations for snacks,” Towey said. “Before, it wouldn’t have been an issue.” She said universities breed an environment that attracts sexual violence.

“Students who live in dorms or other college environments think they are safe,” Towey said, “but sexual predators are all over college campuses.”

—Edited by Samuel Lamb