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

The Phoenix House, Sexual Assault & Domestic Violence Resource Center, in partnership with local law enforcement agencies, received a $750,000 Rural Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking Assistance Program grant from the U.S. Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women. This 36-month project will implement a victim services initiative in Lea County, New Mexico, including: 1) maintaining a community forensic nursing unit to provide services to survivors; 2) hiring a part-time trauma therapist; 3) collaborating with and providing technical assistance to law enforcement on the dynamics of domestic/dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking; and 4) providing training for partner agencies. The grant aims to enhance safety and services for victims in rural communities by supporting coordinated community responses and expanding access to specialized resources.

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 grant award, phoenix house, sexual assault & domestic violence resource center, in partnership with the LEA county sheriff's department, eunice, hobbs, JAL, and lovington police departments, will implement a victim services project for LEA county new mexico. Specific activities will include: 1) maintaining a community forensic nursing unit to provide services to survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking; 2) hiring a part-time trauma therapist; 3) collaborating with, and providing technical assistance to, law enforcement, along with others in the community, regarding the dynamics of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking; and 4) providing training for partner agencies, including sending partner agency representatives to two key conference each year. The timing for performance of this award is 36 months.