Press Releases

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) today announced three Maine organizations will receive grants from the Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women (OVW), totaling $843,619. These grants will be used to stop domestic violence, support rape crisis centers, and provide legal assistance for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault.

 “The Violence Against Women Act is a success story. Since its groundbreaking passage in 1994, this bill has been an example of Congress working in a bipartisan way to address an intolerable problem—the problem of domestic violence. VAWA ushered in transformative progress by calling for the protection of all Americans from violence and abuse, and working to ensure survivors had access to essential services and to justice,” said Pingree. “Since this law was enacted, the rate of domestic violence has declined by over 50 percent. However, the extent of domestic violence remains way too high. I’m proud that Maine will receive more than $800,000 to directly address violence against women and protect survivors. Maine is lucky to have so many experts dedicated to eradicating domestic violence, and I’m proud of all they do to protect Mainers.”

Details of the grants are as follows:

• Maine Coalition Against Sexual Assault ($152,345): State and Territorial Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence Coalitions Program
• University of Southern Maine ($600,000): Legal Assistance for Victims Grant Program
• Maine Coalition To End Domestic Violence ($91,274): State and Territorial Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence Coalitions Program

The State and Territorial Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence Coalitions Program supports the enhancement of coalitions by funding specific projects and is a set-aside program under OVW’s STOP Violence Against Women Formula Grant Program. State and territorial domestic violence and sexual assault coalitions serve as a collective voice to end violence against women, providing direct support to member rape crisis centers through funding, training and technical assistance, public awareness activities, and public policy advocacy.

The Legal Assistance for Victims Grant (LAV) Program is designed to increase the availability of civil and criminal legal assistance programs for adult and youth victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking who are seeking relief in legal matters relating to or arising out of that abuse or violence, at minimum or no cost to the victims. The University of Maine System, acting through the University of Southern Maine and its collaborative partners, Pine Tree Legal Assistance, Maine Volunteer Lawyers Project, Safe Voices, and Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Services, will use this LAV award to help reduce the unmet need for assistance through enhancement and expansion of civil legal services in Androscoggin, Franklin, and Oxford counties in Maine. Funding from this award will enable the collaborative to: 1) develop an evaluation plan and performance measurement tools; 2) support a Volunteer Lawyer’s Project Justice Coordinator; and 3) acquire “Survivors Stations” equipment, which will enable advocates to print abusive electronic messages that victims receive, enabling them to be used as evidence in court.

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