The rural domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking program (rural program) is authorized by 34 U.S.C. 12341

The Department of Justice's Office on Violence Against Women awarded a $749,424 Rural Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking Assistance Program (CFDA 16.589) grant to Safe And Fear-Free Environment, Inc. (Safe & Fear-Free Environment Inc.) for a 36-month project beginning October 1, 2023. The grant supports Safe & Fear-Free Environment Inc.'s efforts to address domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking in rural Southwest Alaska communities, including the Dillingham Census Area, Bristol Bay Borough, and Lake & Peninsula Borough. Key activities include hiring program staff such as advocates, coordinators, and a shelter manager; providing direct victim services like shelter, transportation, and safe homes; delivering training for advocates and community health workers; supporting a Sexual Assault Response Team; and conducting community outreach and prevention education. This project leverages partnerships with the Dillingham Police Department, Dillingham City Schools, the State of Alaska Office of Children's Services, Bristol Bay Native Association, and the Bristol Bay Area Health Corporation.

Rural program funds are used to support programs that: 1) identify, assess, and appropriately respond to child, youth, and adult victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking in rural communities; 2) establish and expand victim services in rural communities to child, youth, and adult victims; 3) increase the safety and well-being of women and children in rural communities, by (a) dealing directly and immediately with domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking; and (B) creating and implementing strategies to increase awareness and prevent these crimes; and 4) develop, expand, implement, and improve the quality of sexual assault forensic medical examination or sexual assault nurse examiner programs. Grantees must use at least one of the following strategies in implementing their projects: 1) implement, expand, and establish cooperative efforts and projects among law enforcement officers, prosecutors, victim service providers, and other related parties to investigate and prosecute incidents of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking; 2) provide treatment, counseling, advocacy, legal assistance, and other long-term and short-term victim and population specific services to adult and minor victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking in rural communities; 3) work in cooperation with the community to develop education and prevention strategies directed toward such issues; 4) develop, enlarge, or strengthen programs addressing sexual assault; and 5) develop programs and strategies that focus on the specific needs of victims of who reside in remote rural and geographically isolated areas. With this continuation rural domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking project, safe and fear free environment, INC., in partnership with dillingham police department, dillingham city schools, state of alaska office of childrens services, bristol BAY native association, and the bristol BAY area health corporation, will implement a victim services project addressing purpose areas 1, 2, and 3, for the dillingham census area, bristol BAY borough and lake & peninsula borough communities in southwest alaska. Specific activities will include: 1) hiring a part-timeoutreach & education coordinator, direct services coordinator, four village-based advocates, and a shelter manager; 2) providing direct services for survivors including shelter, transportation, safe homes, etc.; 3)skill building training for advocates, and community health aides; 4) training for village based advocates on providingsafety services to survivors; 5) providing inclusive, trauma-informed approach capacity building training for partners; 6) supporting asexual assault response team; and 7) conducting community outreach and prevention education. The timing for performance of this award is 36 months.