Sen. Jill Duson represents part of Portland and part of Westbrook in the Maine Senate. She serves as Senate assistant majority leader.

Each year 19,000 people in Maine experience sexual violence. When that happens, survivors deserve dignity, support and access to the resources that help them heal.

Across our state, sexual assault support centers make sure survivors have somewhere to turn. They operate a free, confidential, 24-hour helpline staffed by trained advocates, so someone is always available when a survivor reaches out.

Advocates also provide in-person accompaniment, meeting survivors at hospitals, sitting beside them in courtrooms and helping them navigate complicated systems in the aftermath of violence. Along the way, they help survivors understand their options and remind them of truths that can be difficult to find in those moments — that no survivor is alone, and what happened to them was not their fault.

These highly trained professionals support survivors through deeply traumatic experiences and coordinate with hospitals, law enforcement, prosecutors and schools. But for many years, Maine asked advocates to do this demanding work for wages that did not come close to covering the cost of living.

Since I was first elected to the Maine Senate four years ago, I have been proud to join a broad, bipartisan coalition of legislators — including the late Rep. Kathy Javner of Chester — in talking with advocates across the state and learning more about their work.

We have seen their care and commitment — yet also how difficult it was for many of them to remain in their positions when the pay wasn’t enough to support themselves. That reality created a cycle of burnout and turnover that made it harder for programs to retain experienced staff.

When advocates leave, the consequences extend well beyond a vacant position. Programs lose years of expertise in trauma-informed care and the relationships those advocates have built with local partners. Hospitals, prosecutors and law enforcement lose trusted collaborators who understand how to support survivors while navigating complex investigations and legal processes. Survivors lose continuity at the moment they need stability and trusted guidance.

Working alongside those advocates, our group of committed legislative allies began pushing for change. Last year, the Legislature secured one-time funding that raised the salary floor for the lowest-paid advocates from $33,000 to $45,000 a year. It was an important step forward that has shown real benefits.

Programs are seeing turnover fall dramatically. Advocates have shared that they feel their work is finally being recognized as valuable and that they can remain in these roles long term without having to choose between work that matters deeply to them and the ability to support their families.

That progress is real, but it is also fragile. The funding that made those salary increases possible will expire next year unless the Legislature and the governor act to move it into the ongoing budget. If not, we risk reversing the progress we have just begun to make and losing experienced advocates who have spent years developing the skills this sensitive work requires.

Professionals across Maine’s response system are clear about how essential advocates are to their work. Law enforcement officers, prosecutors and sexual assault forensic examiners regularly say that cases move more smoothly, and survivors remain more engaged when an advocate is present. Advocates provide emotional stability, help survivors understand their choices and allow other professionals to focus on their roles more effectively.

Survivors are equally clear about the impact these services have on their lives. Many describe the presence of an advocate as a turning point in their ability to process what happened to them and begin moving forward.

Four years ago, I promised to fight for survivors and the services that support them. Last year, the Legislature made meaningful progress toward that goal. The next step is making sure that progress lasts.

Moving this funding into the permanent budget reflects something simple but critical: Maine should value the people who do this work and ensure that survivors can continue to rely on the support they provide every day.