WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05), Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin, and Congressmen Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, Kweisi Mfume, Andy Harris, M.D., Anthony G. Brown, Jamie Raskin, and David Trone applauded awards totaling $40,037,526 to support survivors of domestic violence and prevent violence against women.
“The uptick in violence against women during the COVID-19 pandemic is both disturbing and unacceptable. With October marking National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, we must continue to spread the word about resources available to survivors and those experiencing domestic violence. As a delegation, we’ve worked to secure funds for many of these initiatives throughout Maryland, and we will continue fighting for the necessary resources to combat violence against women and support survivors as they recover and rebuild their lives,” the delegation said.
In August, members of the Maryland delegation announced awards for the University of Maryland SAFE Center, the Salvation Army’s Next Step Program for Victims of Human Trafficking in Baltimore, and a number of other organizations totaling $2.6 million. Those awards, along with nearly $37 million in new funding, are included in the table below.
Funding comes from the U.S. Department of Justice through the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) and Office on Violence Against Women (OVW). The members of the Maryland delegation have consistently supported funding for these programs through the Congressional appropriations process. The OVC awards funds to organizations working to assist crime victims. The OVW works to reduce crime against women and provide resources for survivors of domestic violence, exploitation, stalking, and harassment.
The National Domestic Violence Hotline is available toll-free, 24/7 at 800-799-SAFE (7233). Online chat is also available at thehotline.org.
FY20 Department of Justice Awards Awardee Location Award Amount Description Grant Program Office for Victims of Crime Salvation Army’s Next Step Program for Victims of Human Trafficking Baltimore City $500,000 The Salvation Army’s Next Step Program for Victims of Human Trafficking will revamp and expand its current housing program for victims of human trafficking to address gaps that limit the ability of trafficking victims in Maryland to take steps toward healthy independence. FY 2020 Housing Assistance Grants for Victims of Human Trafficking University of Maryland Support, Advocacy, Freedom and Empowerment Center for Human Trafficking Survivors Montgomery, Prince George’s Counties $499,990 UMD SAFE Center will partner with the Montgomery County, Maryland of Health and Human Services (Montgomery County DHHS) to provide short-term housing assistance in a rapid re-housing model to survivors of sex and labor trafficking in Maryland and the metropolitan Washington, D.C. region, focusing on Montgomery and Prince George’s counties. Under this program, Montgomery County DHHS and the SAFE Center will assess client eligibility for the housing program. FY 2020 Housing Assistance Grants for Victims of Human Trafficking Maryland Governor’s Office of Crime Control & Prevention Maryland $1,075,000 The grant award provides funds from the Crime Victims Fund to enhance State Victim Compensation payments to eligible crime victims. Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) compensation funds provide financial assistance to Federal and State victims of crime. FY 2020 VOCA Victim Compensation Maryland Governor’s Office of Crime Control & Prevention Maryland $30,398,592 FY 2020 VOCA Victim Compensation Office on Violence Against Women Loyola University Maryland Baltimore $299,941 Loyola, in partnership with the Baltimore Police Department and TurnAround, Inc., will implement a comprehensive violence against women project on campus. Through this award, the collaborative partnership will continue to meet the Campus Program’s statutory and programmatic requirements. Grants to Reduce Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking on Campus Program University of Maryland, Baltimore Baltimore $600,000 University of Maryland, Baltimore will use this new award to provide civil legal assistance to survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, or stalking in Baltimore. Legal Assistance for Victims Grant Program YWCA of Annapolis and Anne Arundel County Annapolis, Anne Arundel County $599,023 YWCA of Annapolis and Anne Arundel County will use this award to provide civil legal assistance to survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault in stalking in Annapolis and Anne Arundel County. Legal Assistance for Victims Grant Program Maryland Coalition Against Sexual Assault Maryland $152,345 Statewide sexual assault coalitions provide direct support to member rape crisis centers through funding, training and technical assistance, public awareness activities, and public policy advocacy (e.g., state coalitions might work with law enforcement, prosecution, and community organizations to enhance their responses to victims of sexual assault). Statewide domestic violence coalitions provide comparable support to member domestic violence shelters and other domestic violence victim services programs. For approximately one-third of states and territories, these support services are provided through a dual sexual assault and domestic violence coalition. State and Territorial Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence Coalitions Program Maryland Network Against Domestic Violence Maryland $91,274 State and Territorial Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence Coalitions Program City of Baltimore Baltimore $560,000 The City of Baltimore – Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice and its collaborative partners, Baltimore City Circuit and District Courts, and the House of Ruth Maryland, will use this supplemental comprehensive award to:Maintain and expand existing supervised visitation and monitored exchange servicesAssist victims of domestic violence with legal representation in contested custody and divorce casesEstablish a court watch program to enhance the court’s responses for domestic violence victimsConduct training and outreach to judicial staff, attorneys and service providers regarding the importance of establishing child access provisions within a safety plan. Justice for Families Program House of Ruth Maryland Baltimore $515,000 House of Ruth Maryland will use funds to provide both housing and supportive services to move survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking who are homeless to permanent housing. Transitional Housing Assistance Program Mid-Shore Council on Family Violence Easton $550,000 Mid-Shore Council will use funds to provide both housing and supportive services to move survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking who are homeless to permanent housing. Transitional Housing Assistance Program Maryland Governor’s Office of Crime, Youth, and Victims Services Maryland $464,814 The SAS Formula Program directs grant dollars to states and territories to assist them in supporting rape crisis centers (including governmental rape crisis centers not in territories and tribal governmental programs) and nonprofit, nongovernmental organizations that provide core services, direct intervention, and related assistance to victims of sexual assault, regardless of age. FY20 Sexual Assault Services Formula Program Maryland Governor’s Office of Crime, Youth, and Victims Services Maryland $2,768,547 The STOP (Services, Training, Officers, Prosecutors) Violence Against Women Formula Grant Program (STOP Formula Grant Program) encourages partnerships between law enforcement, prosecution, courts, and victim services organizations to enhance victim safety and hold offenders accountable in cases of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. STOP Violence Against Women Formula Grant Program International Association of Forensic Nurses Arnold $300,000 The International Association of Forensic Nurses (IAFN) will use this award to provide training and technical assistance (TTA) to grantees, subgrantees, and potential grantees and subgrantees, including the six sites funded under OVW’s Forensic-Medical and Advocacy Services for Tribes (FAST) Initiative. IAFN will support rural, remote, and tribal communities in their efforts to establish, enhance, and sustain Sexual Assault Forensic Examiner (SAFE) programs. Training and Technical Assistance Initiative International Association of Forensic Nurses Arnold $263,000 The International Association of Forensic Nurses (IAFN) and its project partners—the Emergency Nurses Association, the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, and the Victim Rights Law Center—will use this supplemental award to continue providing training and technical assistance to states, localities, and healthcare providers to improve access to, and payment for, forensic exams for victims of sexual assault, including those who do not wish to report the crime to law enforcement at the time of the exam. The target audiences for this project are STOP Formula Program grantees administering Crime Victims Compensation funds, other state and local entities administering funds used to pay for medical forensic exams, and healthcare professionals, including Sexual Assault Forensic Examiners/Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SAFEs/SANEs) and healthcare billing departments. Training and Technical Assistance Initiative International Association of Forensic Nurses Arnold $400,000 The International Association of Forensic Nurses (IAFN) will use this award to develop a National Protocol for Domestic Violence Medical Forensic Examinations to give healthcare providers and allied professionals best practices for gathering forensic evidence in the course of treating the medical needs of patients who disclose domestic violence. This project will connect survivors’ needs with an evidence-based, patient-focused medical forensic examination protocol that communities can implement to enhance their responses to domestic violence. Training and Technical Assistance Initiative