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

The Governor's Office-Governor's Community Outreach Federal Programs Office (GCO-FPO) in Guam received a $700,000 Rural Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking Assistance Program (CFDA 16.589) grant from the U.S. Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women. This 36-month project, awarded on October 1, 2023, will fund the establishment of a Special Victims Unit within the Guam Police Department to more effectively investigate and prosecute sexual assault cases. It will also provide victim-centered assistance by supporting a Victim Assistant and transportation services, as well as expanded emergency housing for survivors. Additionally, the grant will strengthen community education and prevention efforts through advocate presentations and public awareness materials focused on promoting healthy relationships, consent, and deterring sexual violence, with a particular emphasis on empowering youth.

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 new rural domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking grant award, the office of the governor of guam governors community outreach federal programs office, in partnership with victim advocates reaching out and the guam police department (GPD), will implement a victim services project in guam. Specific activities will include: 1) establishinga special victims unit (SVU) and providing SVU detectives with appropriate training to more effectively solve sexualassault cases in order to bring perpetrators to justice and deter sexual crimes; 2) providingmore victim-centered assistance to victims of these crimes by funding an SVU victim assistant and vehicle to transport victims to safety, exams, legal proceedings, etc.; 3) assisting victims with longer periods of emergency housing; and 4) strengthening education and prevention efforts through advocate presentations and production of print and video materials that effectively address positive relationships, consent, and inappropriate behavior, with a special focus on educating minors and empowering them against would-be sexual assailants. The timing for performance of this award is 36 months.