Leahy Announces $1.3 M. More In Grants
For Vermont Programs To Combat Domestic Violence

. . . New Grants, And $1.5 M. Leahy Announced Last Week,
Bring Vermont Total This Round To $2.8 M.

WASHINGTON (Thursday, Sept. 7) – Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) announced Thursday that three Vermont programs will receive more than $1.3 million in grants to combat domestic violence.  Leahy last week announced $1.5 million in grants for Vermont under the Leahy-authored Rural Domestic Violence and Child Victimization Program.

The Vermont Center for Crime Victim Services, the City of Winooski, and the Town of St. Johnsbury will receive the funding as part of the Justice Department’s Grants to Encourage Arrest Policies and Enforcement of Protection Orders Program.  The program was created under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) of 1994 and reauthorized by VAWA 2000.  Leahy is the ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee and led recent efforts to renew VAWA’s charter, which was signed into law in January 2005.  Leahy also led in adding the focus on rural needs to the program.  The program enhances victim safety and offender accountability in domestic and dating violence by encouraging communities to adopt a coordinated community response in the treatment of such violence as a serious violation of criminal law.

“Small rural states like Vermont can make progress against domestic violence when there’s an organized partnership that supports state and local law enforcement efforts,” said Leahy.  “These grants recognize the coordinated efforts of law enforcement officers to target and apprehend the criminals responsible for domestic violence offenses.  The efforts of the Vermont Center for Crime Victim Services, of Winooski and of St. Johnsbury are examples of the proactive work being done in our communities to combat domestic violence and sexual assault.”

The Vermont Center for Crime Victim Services will receive $722,000 to continue work in collaboration with the Vermont Network Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Violence State Coalition to help keep domestic violence survivors safe and to punish those who commit domestic violence.  The program will also include efforts to serve immigrant populations, improve coordination between prosecutors, judges and probation and parole officers, and enhance law enforcement training.

The City of Winooski will receive $399,000 to work with Women Helping Battered Women and the Women’s Rape Crisis Center to enhance police and court-based advocacy services.  The grant will also be used to improve legal services for victims involved in protection order hearings, and will bolster advocacy services to immigrant and refugee populations, and individuals with disabilities.

The Town of St. Johnsbury will receive $205,000 to continue its collaboration with Umbrella, AWARE, and Step ONE to implement a project to increase victim advocacy and outreach among the courts and law enforcement, and to help support the Domestic Violence Task Force.

Leahy is the Democratic leader of the Senate Judiciary Committee and is a senior member of the Appropriations Committee. Since the 2000 reauthorization of VAWA, Vermont organizations have received an estimated $4 million in grants through this program to aid targeted areas throughout the state in treating domestic violence as a serious violation of criminal law.

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