FARGO-A survey of domestic violence programs in North Dakota found that 375 victims were served in one day last year, with 32 requests for help going unfulfilled because of funding and staff shortages.
The requests that most often went unmet came from victims seeking legal representation, followed by housing and counseling, according to statewide results released Wednesday as part of a national survey.
The survey showed that North Dakota's domestic violence programs lost a total of 11 staff positions last year.
CAWS North Dakota, a nonprofit group that represents domestic violence and sexual assault crisis centers, says the state's centers are repeatedly asked to do more with less.
"Victims are turned away every day because our shelters are full and understaffed, and we know they are either going back to live with their abusive partner or are forced into homelessness. This can't continue," the group's executive director, Janelle Moos, said in a statement.
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The National Network to End Domestic Violence conducted the one-day survey across the country on Sept.10, 2014.
Of the 375 victims served that day in North Dakota, 78 children and 82 adults took refuge in emergency shelters or transitional housing provided by domestic violence programs. Another 215 victims received other services such as counseling and legal help.
In Minnesota, 2,456 victims were served that day. There were 406 unmet requests for services, of which 57 percent (231) were for housing. And across the state, 39 positions were cut at domestic violence centers last year.
Nationwide, 67,646 victims were helped, and 10,871 requests for services went unfulfilled, of which 56 percent (6,126) were for housing. And in the U.S., 1,392 staff positions were eliminated.
