American Indian Report - May 2008 - (Page 18)

TrIBAL MAnAgErS B r i E f i n g grAnTS New DOJ Program Provides Funding for Rape Crisis Centers By Michelle Tirado WHETHER YOU HAVE A RAPE CRISIS CENTER or want to open one, you may be eligible for funding through the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women’s (OVW) newly designated Sexual Assault Services Program. Authorized as part of the Violence Against Women Act and Department of Justice Reauthorization Act of 2005, the program will support the establishment, maintenance and expansion of rape crisis centers and other programs and projects to assist those victimized by sexual assault. OVW Director Cindy Dyer said in a press release announcing the program, “The new Sexual Assault Services Program will focus on providing improved services for sexual assault victims and a stronger criminal justice response to sexual assault crimes.” SASP was announced in April, National Sexual Assault Awareness month. One in six American women are affected by the crime, according to DOJ, and American Indian/ Alaska Native women are 2.5 times more likely to be victims than the general population of women. Besides establishing rape crisis centers, grants provided through SASP, funded at $50 million each fiscal year through 2011, can be used for intervention and related assistance services, such as 24-hour hotline services; accompaniment and advocacy through medical, criminal justice and social support systems (i.e., medical facilities, police and court proceedings); crisis intervention; and community-based and language- and culture- specific services and support mechanisms, including outreach activities for underserved communities. SASP funding can also be used to provide sexual assault-related training and technical assistance to governments, law enforcement, courts, non-profit and faith-based organizations and legal services, social services and health care providers. An announcement on eligibility requirements, funding limits and application procedures has not been made yet. When the grant solicitation is announced, it will be posted on DOJ’s Web site. OVW offers several grant programs, some of which were specifically established to assist tribal nations and organizations reduce violence against women. n 18 May 2008 American Indian Report http://www.justice.gov/ http://www.ovw.usdoj.gov/ http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=109_cong_bills&docid=f:h3402enr.txt.pdf http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=109_cong_bills&docid=f:h3402enr.txt.pdf http://www.ovw.usdoj.gov/ http://www.nsvrc.org/calendar/details.aspx?EventID=1237 http://www.justice.gov/ http://www.justice.gov/ http://www.ovw.usdoj.gov/index.html http://www.ovw.usdoj.gov/ovwgrantprograms.htm

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of American Indian Report - May 2008

American Indian Report - May 2008 Contents Courts: Blackfeet Housing Authority Can Be Sued For Unhealthy Homes Congress: Activity on the Hill Ethics & Standards of Conduct: Personal Use of Tribal Property Policy: "Meriless Indian Savages" and the Declaration of Independence Green Technology Grants: New DOJ Program Provides Funding For Rape Crisis Centers Listen & Learn: Multiple Indirect Cost Rates Sweet Success Penobscot Nation Restores Cultural Use of Water Tribes Diversify with Private Equity Fund The Native American YouTube Tribal Government: An Introduction to Strategic Planning

American Indian Report - May 2008

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