(AP) – Advocates for abuse victims say a dispute between the city of Topeka and the district attorney over the prosecution of domestic violence misdemeanors will make people who are already scared think twice before reporting abuse.

The mayor and council of Kansas’ capital city voted to repeal the city’s ordinance against domestic violence Tuesday night. It was a dramatic escalation in their attempt to force the county to back away from its budget-driven decision to stop prosecuting misdemeanors committed inside the city.

The director of Topeka’s YWCA Center for Safety and Empowerment said Wednesday the decision sends the wrong message about domestic violence and makes it more unlikely that abuse victims will step forward for help.