s, and offered services to the children of these women (Minnesota Center Against Violence and Abuse, 1). Minnesota state government became a financial supporter of these shelters in 1977, with $50,000 in funding for community education that was designed to prevent wife battering.
Over time, beginning in 1979, Minnesota government passed laws that provide strict penalties for spousal battering, sending a message that such behavior will not be tolerated. The Minnesota Center Against Violence and Abuse (2) reports that almost all residential shelters in the state receive an annual grant of $103,000 as well as Per Diem payments to cover basic costs for each woman and child who spends a night in a shelter. Other shelter providers receive Per Diem payments as well as grants for community-based advocacy to support their activities. In fiscal year 2000, the state of Minnesota spent $20.9 million on these programs, but a cap was established of $17.979 million to cover subsequent years (Minnesota Center Against Violence and Abuse, 2).
Any number of nonprofit women's shelte
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