By Melinda Kukaj
WASHINGTON, DC – The Department of Justice announced this week an award of more than $690 million in grant funding for women victims of violence, to be administered by the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW).
This large grant, according to the DOJ, will “support services and justice responses for victims and survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking across all U.S. states and territories and in many Tribal nations.”
The DOJ announced this funding as a commemoration for the 30th anniversary of the passage of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA).
According to the DOJ, the VAWA was the first comprehensible federal law that focused on addressing and preventing domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking.
Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco stated, “I was privileged to work on the passage of the original Violence Against Women Act thirty years ago — landmark legislation that transformed how our nation responds to domestic violence and sexual assault.”
Monaco added that “our country’s progress to prevent gender-based violence is not finished, but we have come a long way since 1994 thanks to the hard work of survivors, advocates, and members of law enforcement — grants we’re announcing today reaffirm our commitment to building safe communities for all, free from violence and fear.”
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland said, “30 years ago, VAWA transformed our national response to domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking.”
Garland noted that “today, officers, prosecutors, judges, families, and society at large understand what should have always been clear: these crimes cannot be cast aside as somehow distinct or private. Instead, we recognize that they are among the most serious crimes that our society faces and that we must continue to improve access to justice, safety, and services for survivors.”
According to the DOJ, the VAWA first was enacted in 1994 as part of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act. Initially, the DOJ focused on providing training and resources to improve policies and responses of law enforcement, prosecutors, and courts, to better support victims services as well as addressing crimes historically treated as a private matter.
DOJ added that “recognizing that domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking require a coordinated community response that extends beyond the justice system, Congress subsequently reauthorized VAWA, enhancing its policies and expanding grant funding streams, in 2000, 2005, 2013, and 2022.”
According to the DOJ, OVW, created in 1995 to implement the provisions of VAWA and its subsequent reauthorizations, provides national leadership on domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking.
Since its enactment authorized by the VAWA, OVW has distributed more than $11 billion in funding, strengthening local responses to domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking and dating violence through its grant programs, providing funding annually to all 50 states, many tribal nations, and six territories.
OVW Director Rosie Hidalgo explained “the power of VAWA is that it is centered on the lived realities and leadership of survivors. By identifying what works well that can be expanded and enhanced, and identifying gaps and barriers, we can continue to improve VAWA and ensure that we are supporting all survivors, including those from historically marginalized communities and underserved populations who often face multiple barriers to services and safety.”
The DOJ said “today’s announcement includes funding for numerous grant programs, including new programs launched in FY 2024 as a result of the most recent reauthorization of VAWA in 2022 and appropriations acts,” noting six new programs.
One of these programs, according to the DOJ, is the “Sexual Assault Services Formula Program: Grants totaling over $52 million will be awarded in each state and territory to assist them in supporting rape crisis centers and nonprofit organizations, as well as Tribal programs that assist survivors of sexual assault.”
Another one of these programs, said DOJ, is the “Indian Tribal Governments Program: Grants totaling over $45 million will support the development and enhancement of effective strategies by Tribal governments to address domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking in Tribal communities consistent with Tribal law and custom.
“Additionally, $7.5 million is awarded under the newly established Grants to Indian Tribal Governments Program: Strengthening Tribal Advocacy Responses Track to support Tribes who have not previously accessed the Tribal Government funding and seek additional support for capacity building.”
Another program touted by DOJ is the “State and Territory Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Coalitions Program: Grants totaling over $19 million will support the critical work of state and territory domestic violence and sexual assault coalitions, which includes coordinating victim services and collaborating with federal, state, and local entities.”
DOJ also noted the “STOP (Services, Training, Officers, and Prosecutors) Violence Against Women Formula Grants Program: Grants totaling over $171 million will be distributed to all 50 states and six U.S. territories to support a coordinated community response among law enforcement, prosecution, courts, victim services organizations, and other community services to address domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking.”
Another program, the DOJ states, is “Transitional Housing Assistance Grants for Victims of Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking Program: Grants totaling over $40 million will support programs that provide six to 24 months of transitional housing support for survivors who are homeless or in need of transitional housing and other housing assistance as a result of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, or stalking.”
And, the DOJ listed, “Grants to Improve the Criminal Justice Response (ICJR) Program: Grants totaling over $24 million will assist communities in improving their criminal justice response while seeking safety and autonomy for survivors.”
DOJ added, “OVW is also awarding more than $14 million through a related initiative, the Enhancing Investigation and Prosecution of Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking Initiative, to support effective policing and prosecution strategies by promoting and evaluating effective trauma-informed policing and prosecution responses to domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking.”
