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…

The U.S. Department of Justice's Office on Violence Against Women has awarded a $750,000 Legal Assistance for Victims (LAV) Grant Program grant to the Philadelphia Legal Assistance Center, Inc. (doing business as P L A), in partnership with WOAR Philadelphia Center Against Sexual Violence and HIAS Pennsylvania. The 3-year project will provide comprehensive civil and criminal legal services to assist adult and youth victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking in the city of Philadelphia and Philadelphia County.

The funded services will address priority areas such as advancing racial equity, increasing legal services for sexual assault survivors, and serving underserved communities. Key products to be developed include a multilingual pamphlet on sexual violence protection orders, an informational guide on digital sexual violence, a digital referral tool for project partners, and specialized screening tools to identify the civil legal needs of survivors. The legal assistance will cover a wide range of matters, including divorce, child custody, immigration, housing, employment, and criminal justice proceedings related to the victimization.

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. Through this new legal assistance for victims project, philadelphia legal assistance, in partnership with woar philadelphia center against sexual violenceand hias pennsylvania, will provide legal assistance to address the unique needs of sexual assault survivors and implement a seamless referral system from the district attorneys office for immigrant survivors in the city of philadelphia and philadelphia county. The project will address the following priority areas: 1) priority area 1: advancing racial equity; 2) priority area 2: increasing legal services to victims of sexual assault; and 3) priority area 3: underserved communities. The following products will be developed during the project period: a pamphlet on sexual violence protection orders translated into four languages; an informational pamphlet on digital sexual violence; a digital referral tool for project partners; and unique screening tools to identify civil legal needs of survivors.