The legal assistance for victims (LAV) grant program, 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…

The Department of Justice's Office on Violence Against Women awarded a $750,000 Project Grant under the Legal Assistance for Victims (CFDA 16.524) program to Life-Span, a non-profit organization in Illinois. The funds will be used to provide civil and criminal legal assistance to adult and youth victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking in Cook County. Services include legal representation and aid in matters such as protection orders, divorce, child custody and support, immigration, and post-conviction relief. At least 50% of the funding must be used to assist sexual assault survivors. Life-Span will deliver these comprehensive legal services through a collaboration between its legal aid staff and victim service providers over the 3-year award period from October 2023 to September 2026.

The legal assistance for victims (LAV) grant program, 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. Through this continuation legal assistance for victims project, life-span will provide legal assistance in protection order, divorce, child custody and support, safe visitation, and immigration matters to survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking in cook county, illinois. At least fifty percent of funds will be used to assist survivors of sexual assault. The project will address priority area 2: increasing legal services to victims of sexual assault.