The sexual assault services culturally specific program (SAS culturally specific program) was created by the violence against women and department of justice reauthorization act of 2005 (vawa 2005),…

This federal Project Grant award, funded by the Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women under the Sexual Assault Services Culturally Specific Program (CFDA 16.023), will provide $385,000 over 3 years to United Hope Network Inc., a minority-owned non-profit organization in Michigan, to deliver comprehensive victim support services for survivors of sexual assault from Black communities in Wayne, Macomb, and Oakland counties. The grant will fund a 24-hour hotline, accompaniment, advocacy, crisis intervention, referrals, and other culturally specific support services to address linguistic and cultural barriers faced by underserved populations seeking assistance for sexual assault. This award aims to establish, maintain, and expand the organization's capacity to provide relevant and accessible services for this target population.

The sexual assault services culturally specific program (SAS culturally specific program) was created by the violence against women and department of justice reauthorization act of 2005 (vawa 2005), 34 U.S.C. 12511(C), and is part of the first federal funding stream solely dedicated to the provision of direct intervention and related assistance for victims of sexual assault. Intervention and related assistance include advocacy, accompaniment (e.g., accompanying victims to court, medical facilities, police departments, etc.), crisis intervention and support services, and referrals, among other services. Under this program, such services may be provided to adult, youth, and child victims of sexual assault, family and household members of such victims, and those collaterally affected by the victimization. Survivors of sexual assault from culturally specific communities frequently confront unique challenges when seeking assistance, such as linguistic and cultural barriers. Culturally specific community-based organizations are more likely to understand these challenges because they are familiar with the culture, language, and background of victims from their communities, who in turn are more inclined to seek services from such organizations. The goal of the SAS culturally specific program is to establish, maintain, and expand culturally specific intervention and related assistance for victims of sexual assault, which serve a vital role in providing services that are relevant for their communities. Through this new sexual assault services culturally specific program project, united hope network INC., will provide comprehensive victim support services, including 24-hour hotline services, accompaniment, advocacy, crisis intervention, referrals, and culturally specific support for black communities of the wayne, macomb, and oakland counties in michigan. The project will address the following priority area: priority area 5, underserved communities- sexual assault services for the lgbtq population.