Extensive budget cuts have left the future uncertain for Charleston’s Sexual Assault Counseling and Information Service, which took out a $35,000 loan in October to meet costs in the absence of funding.

“This is the first time that we have had to take out a loan to meet costs,” said SACIS executive director Bonnie Buckley, who says that staff members are not guaranteed to receive paychecks in the coming months.

The staff relies largely on federal and state funds granted by the Illinois Coalition Against Sexual Assault, a not-for-profit organization that also aids 32 other crisis centers and 16 satellite locations statewide.

Within the staff, 11 of 13 members depend on state funds to pay their salaries. The other two employees are partially paid from separate sources allocated to SACIS and its sister centers.

Spreading a limited amount of money across agencies has become more difficult for human resource providers like ICASA in the aftermath of Gov. Pat Quinn’s policies to balance the state budget.

In June, Quinn cut general revenue funds that ICASA previously distributed to its crisis center network, dissolving a projected 68 percent of the state finances that support SACIS.

Last year, this accounted for 40 percent of the service’s total funding, which is generally used to execute advocacy, counseling, prevention education and management, Buckley said.

“The money is promised to SACIS through the grants so we are expecting to receive the money,” Buckley said. “This year, it has taken longer to get reimbursements from our state coalition because it has not received the state and federal funds as quickly as in past years.”

While financial relief is stalled, SACIS has been rendered unable to support employees’ salaries, cover telephone costs, or pay rent to the university.

The added expense of the October loan, plus interest, has been added to the laundry list of fiscal struggles SACIS faces while aiding people of all ages throughout Coles and Cumberland counties.

Though hindered by a shortage of funds, SACIS foresees no shortage of patients.

Last year, the service, which runs a 24-hour crisis hotline, assisted 723 victims of various forms of sexual assault that would have had to seek care elsewhere had a lack of funding impeded operation.

The need for such a service has been exemplified in statistics published on ICASA’s online fact sheet that pertain to adult survivors of childhood abuse.

The numbers indicate a possibility that sexual abuse is more widespread than commonly thought, indicating that one in three girls and one in six boys are sexually abused before the age of 18, roughly totaling 1.8 million adolescent victims nationwide today.

Those who have suffered rape are considered 13 times more likely than a non-victim of rape to have attempted suicide, and 10.1 times as likely to have used hard drugs other than cocaine.

Nearly one third of these victims develop post-traumatic stress disorder, and the numbers continue to climb as victims come forward.

Despite the prospect of inflating demand for fluctuating compensation, Buckley said the staff continues to work and services are not affected, though stress stemming from a worry over whether or not SACIS will receive funds is present.

“We have kept from spending money for allocated items like program supplies and some office supplies so that we can use all funds for payroll,” said Buckley, who has looked to alternative sources for financial assistance.

She specified fundraising as a challenge in a relatively small community that hosts a number of social service agencies along with Eastern, Lake Land College and a hospital, among other entities.

Buckley believes that each has felt financial pressure from Quinn’s budget cuts.

“Illinois is in a serious financial crisis,” she said. “Something needs to be done to generate revenue in Illinois. The lack of addressing this issue at the state level means that the crisis continues to get worse.”

Erica Whelan can be reached at 581-7942 or DENnewsdesk@gmail.com.