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According to the 2007 National Crime Victimization Survey of the United States, approximately 623,000 violent crimes–554,000 against female victims–were committed by an intimate partner and approximately 248,300 rape/sexual assault victimizations occurred in 2007. The 2007 BJS Report on "Homicide Trends in the U.S." revealed that about one-third of female murder victims were killed by an intimate [partner]. A study released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that about 10% of students report being physically hurt by a boyfriend or girlfriend in the last 12 months. Lastly, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics Supplemental Victimization Survey on Stalking, an estimated 3.4 million persons age 18 or older were victims of stalking during a 12 month period. The National Crime Victimization Survey found that there were nearly 200,000 incidents of rape or sexual assault in the United States in 2005. Culturally and linguistically specific services and resources are necessary to meet the needs of victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking who face obstacles to accessing essential services and resources.
Program Overview
The Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) currently administers 19 programs authorized by the Violence Against Women Act of 1994 and subsequent legislation. These grants are designed to develop the nation's capacity to reduce domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking by strengthening services to victims and holding offenders accountable for their actions.
The Grants to Enhance Culturally and Linguistically Specific Services for Victims of Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking (Culturally and Linguistically Specific Services Program), created by the Violence Against Women Act of 2005 (VAWA 2005), will fund projects that promote the maintenance and replication of existing successful domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking community-based programs providing culturally and linguistically specific services and other resources. The program also will support the development of innovative culturally and linguistically specific strategies and projects to enhance access to services and resources for victims of violence against women.
OVW-funded projects will include those that increase a community's capacity to provide culturally and linguistically specific resources and support for victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking; strengthen criminal justice interventions by providing training for law enforcement, prosecution, courts, probation, and correctional facilities on culturally and linguistically specific responses to crimes of violence against women; and enhance traditional victims services through the leadership of culturally and linguistically specific programs.
The Culturally and Linguistically Specific Services Program will also support projects that provide culturally and linguistically specific services for children exposed to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking and that offer culturally and linguistically specific resources and services that address safety, economic justice, housing, and workplace needs of victims.
The Culturally and Linguistically Specific Services Program is funded through five percent of the appropriated amount for each of the following VAWA grant programs: Legal Assistance for Victims; Rural Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault and Stalking Assistance; Enhanced Training and Services to End Violence Against and Abuse of Women in Later Life; Education, Training, and Enhanced Services to End Violence Against and Abuse of Women with Disabilities; and the Grants to Encourage Arrest Policies and Enforcement of Protection Orders Program. These funds will be distributed for the first time in Fiscal Year 2009.
Eligible Applicants
Eligible applicants include community-based programs whose primary purpose is providing culturally and linguistically specific services to victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking; and community-based programs whose primary purpose is providing culturally and linguistically specific services that partner with a program having demonstrated expertise in serving victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking.
Please check the OVW website (www.ovw.usdoj.gov) for updated information and solicitation announcements.
If you have additional questions, contact OVW at (202) 307-6026.
February 2009
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