U.S. Senators Barbara A. Mikulski and Ben Cardin (both D-Md.) announced that thirteen organizations in Maryland have received a total of $8,286,161 in grants from the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) at the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) for efforts around the state that will help protect women and families from domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking and other dating violence. October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

These funds are authorized by the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), legislation introduced in 1994 by then-Senator Joe Biden which Senator Mikulski cosponsored. Senators Mikulski and Cardin have both fought to reauthorize the legislation, most recently 2013. Senator Mikulski is Chairwoman of the Senate Appropriations Committee and the Commerce, Justice, Science (CJS) Appropriations Subcommittee, which funds VAWA programs administered by DOJ and OVW.

“No woman should live in fear that her husband or boyfriend will hurt or kill her or her kids,” Chairwoman Mikulski said. “If you are beaten and abused, you should have somewhere to turn for help and a path to recovery. As Chairwoman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I will continue to fight for strong investments in programs to combat domestic abuse, dating violence and sexual assault and to help rebuild lives.”

“Stopping domestic violence, and providing every resource possible to support the victims, will save lives and transform families across Maryland. No area of our state is immune from this problem. These latest grants will help ensure that we continue to make real progress statewide in reducing the number and severity of domestic violence cases,” said Senator Cardin. “I’m proud of the federal-state partnerships made possible by the Violence Against Women Act that will ensure that when domestic abuse does occur that law enforcement officials have the training and empathy to handle the cases properly, and that strong support networks exist to help victims rebuild their lives.”

The following organizations received grants that will be used in efforts to combat violence against women around the state:

  • Maryland Governor’s Office of Crime Control and Prevention (GOCCP) – $333,166. These federal funds will be used to assist in supporting rape crisis centers and other nonprofit, nongovernmental organizations that provide core services, direct intervention and related assistance to victims of sexual assault, regardless of age.
  • Legal Aid Bureau, Inc. in the City of Baltimore – $436,626. These federal funds will be used to provide legal representation to victims of domestic violence and assault in Baltimore City and Baltimore County. TurnAround, a non-profit organization providing counseling and support services to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault, will be a collaborative partner in this project.
  • Maryland Coalition Against Sexual Assault in Montgomery County – $126,045.  These federal funds will be used to support Maryland’s efforts to coordinate victim services within Maryland and collaborate with other federal, state and local entities to respond to violence against women issues. Statewide sexual assault coalitions provide support to member rape crisis centers through funding, training and technical assistance and public awareness.
  • Maryland Network Against Domestic Violence in Prince George’s County – $81,795. These federal funds will be used to support Maryland’s efforts to coordinate victim services within Maryland and collaborate with other federal, state and local entities to respond to violence against women issues. Statewide sexual assault coalitions provide support to member rape crisis centers through funding, training and technical assistance and public awareness.
  • Sexual Assault Spouse Abuse Resource Center, Inc. in Harford County – $200,000. These federal funds will be used to provide legal representation to victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence and stalking in Harford County.
  • International Association of Forensic Nurses (IAFN) in Howard County – $388,928. The IAFN will use these federal funds in conjunction with OVW to develop a “National Protocol for Sexual Assault Medical Forensic Examinations: Juveniles.” The IAFN is an international membership organization comprised of forensic nurses and allied professionals that provides leadership in forensic nursing practices through the development, promotion and dissemination of information internationally. IAFN and its members played an active role in the development of the “National Protocol for Sexual Assault Medical Forensic Examinations: Adult/Adolescent” in the original version published in 2004 as well as the update to the Protocol in 2013.
  • Center for Survivor Agency and Justice in Montgomery County – $424,239. These federal funds will be used to increase access to economic security for survivors by: (1) building the capacity of attorneys and advocates in consumer and economic civil legal remedies for survivors; (2) engaging attorneys and advocates in systems’ advocacy that reduces barriers to economic security in the civil legal justice system; (3) expanding awareness by offering basic and advanced training on the issues of safety and economic security, job development, sustainability of employment, and self-sufficiency; (4) creating a comprehensive guidebook for victims and consumer and civil legal advocacy briefs; (5) convening consumer practice webinars; and (6) providing on-site technical assistance to grantees.
  • Catholic Legal Immigration Network – $550,000. These federal funds will be used to continue to implement its Building Legal Capacity to Combat Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Against Immigrants Project. The projects will enhance and expand the legal immigration services capacity of Legal Assistance for Victims and Rural Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, Dating Violence and Stalking grantees and partners as well as STOP Violence Against Women Formula Grant Program sub grantees. At least 700 non-lawyer legal advocates, attorneys and organizations will receive technical assistance and training through this project.
  • Mid-Shore Council on Family Violence in Caroline County – $352,416. These federal funds will be used to provide transitional housing support to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault in Caroline County
  • Baltimore City – $406,043. These federal funds will be used by the City of Baltimore, in partnership with the Baltimore City District Court, the Circuit Court for Baltimore City, and House of Ruth Maryland (HRM), to continue providing supervised visitation and monitored exchange services to families affected by domestic violence at its current location in Baltimore. The project will also include efforts to increase referrals, expand language access resources, provide ongoing professional development opportunities for staff, and routinely assess the effectiveness of the project. In addition to providing supervised visitation and exchange services, the City of Baltimore will partner with HRM to provide legal services to victims of domestic violence in divorce and custody matters. A staff attorney will represent 50 low-income domestic violence victims per year and will prioritize cases referred from the visitation center. HRM will develop safety plans with clients, assess victims’ needs with regard to legal representation, and provide case oversight to the attorney litigating the cases.
  • Still I Rise, Inc. in Prince George’s County – $300,000. These federal funds will be used to provide intervention, advocacy, accompaniment (e.g., accompanying victims to court, medical facilities, police departments, etc.), support services, and related assistance for adult, youth, and child victims of sexual assault, family and household members of victims, and those collaterally affected by the sexual assault.
  • Maryland Network Against Domestic Violence – $1,500,000. These federal funds will be used to (1) provide training on model domestic violence prevention programs; (2) assist with the sites’ Lethality Assessment Program (LAP) or Domestic Violence Response Team (DVHRT) development; (3) access consultants and/or other technical assistance specialists and site-specific trainers; (4) develop policies and procedures on domestic violence homicide reduction; (5)train to ensure sustainability of enhanced services; information, referrals, literature and other resources; (6) maintain a strong support system, enhanced communication and learning across all of the selected DI sites including an orientation, briefs on promising practices, and individualized trainings on site; (7) partner with identified culturally specific technical assistance providers to ensure targeted and appropriate services for underserved populations; and (8) assist with the evaluation of the initiative.
  • University of Maryland – $580,000. These federal funds will be used to enhance victim services, implement prevention and education programs, and develop and strengthen security and investigation strategies in order to prevent, prosecute and respond to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking crimes.
  • State of Maryland – $2,606,903. These federal funds will be used by the State of Maryland to continue to encourage the development and implementation of effective, victim-centered law enforcement, prosecution, and court strategies to address violent crimes against women and the development and enhancement of victim services in cases involving violent crimes against women. It envisions a partnership among law enforcement, prosecution, courts, and victim services organizations to enhance victim safety and hold offenders accountable for their crimes against women.