The legal assistance for victims (LAV) grant program, authorized by authorized by 34 U.S.C. 20121, is intended to increase the availability of civil and criminal legal assistance needed to effectively…

This federal Project Grant award for $400,000 from the Department of Justice's Office on Violence Against Women under the Legal Assistance for Victims (LAV) Grant Program (CFDA 16.524) will enable Sojourner House, Inc., a nonprofit organization in Rhode Island, to establish a new legal assistance program. The funding will be used to provide comprehensive civil and criminal legal services to adult and youth victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. The legal services will cover matters such as divorce, custody, housing, eviction, and labor law that relate to or arise from the abuse or violence experienced by the victims. The grant will allow Sojourner House to expand their existing services and increase access to legal aid for underserved populations in the state. The award period is from October 1, 2023 to September 30, 2025.

The legal assistance for victims (LAV) grant program, authorized by authorized by 34 U.S.C. 20121, is intended to increase the availability of civil and criminal legal assistance needed to effectively aid adult and youth (ages 11 to 24) victims of domestic violence, dating violence, stalking, or sexual assault, by providing funds for comprehensive direct legal services to victims in legal matters relating to or arising out of that abuse or violence. Legal assistance is assistance in: a) divorce, parental rights, child support, tribal, territorial, immigration, employment, administrative agency, housing, campus, education, healthcare, privacy, contract, consumer, civil rights, protection or other injunctive proceedings, related enforcement proceedings, and other similar matters; B) criminal justice investigations, prosecutions, and post-conviction matters (including sentencing, parole, and probation) that impact the victims safety, privacy, or other interests as a victim; C) alternative dispute resolution, restorative practices, or other processes intended to promote victim safety, privacy, and autonomy, and offender accountability, regardless of court involvement; or D) post-conviction relief proceedings in state, local, tribal, or territorial court, with respect to a conviction of a victim relating to or arising from domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, or SEX trafficking victimization of the victim. The LAV grant programs expanding legal services initiative (ELSI) is intended to enable eligible organizations that do not currently offer legal services to establish a program that provides legal representation to victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. Through this new legal assistance for victims expanding legal services project, sojourner house will establish a program to provide legal representation in the areas of divorce, custody, housing and eviction, and labor law to victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and/or stalking in rhode island.