The grants to enhance culturally specific services for victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking program is authorized by 34 U.S.C. 20124

The U.S. Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women awarded a $625,000 Culturally and Linguistically Specific Services Program (CFDA 16.016) grant to the East Los Angeles Women's Center (ELAWC), a non-profit organization, to provide a range of comprehensive services for victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking in the East Los Angeles region. Through this 4-year project, ELAWC will implement activities such as a 24/7 hotline and chat line, crisis intervention, hospital accompaniment, therapeutic services, case management, counseling, education groups, advocacy, shelter and housing services, and community engagement. The project aims to increase the capacity of the East Los Angeles community to provide culturally specific resources and support, enhance traditional victim services through the leadership of a culturally specific program, and deliver tailored services that address safety, economic, housing, and workplace needs of the target populations, with a focus on advancing racial equity and preventing sexual assault.

This program supports the maintenance and replication of existing successful community-based programs providing culturally specific services to victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking, as well as the development of innovative culturally specific strategies to enhance access to services and resources for victims who face obstacles to using more traditional programs. Culturally specific services means community-based services that include culturally relevant and linguistically specific services and resources to culturally specific communities which are statutorily defined as american indians (including alaska natives, eskimos, and aleuts); asian americans; native hawaiians and other pacific islanders; blacks; and hispanics. Projects must address at least one of the programs statutory purpose areas. Through this continuation culturally specific services program project, the east LOS angeles womens center will implement a project addressing the following purpose areas: increasing communities capacity to provide culturally specific resources and support for victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking crimes and their families; enhancing traditional services to victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking through the leadership of culturally specific programs offering services to victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking; and providing culturally specific resources and services that address the safety, economic, housing, and workplace needs of victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking. The project will also address the following priority areas: priority area 1 -advancing racial equity and priority area 2 - strengthening efforts to prevent and end sexual assault. The east LOS angeles womens center is a program that works within the city of LOS angeles; unincorporated areas of LA county including east LOS angeles; cities in southeast LOS angeles; and the cities of compton and long beach. Specific activities will include: a 24/7 hotline and chat line, crisis intervention, hospital accompaniment, therapeutic services, case management, individual and group counseling, education groups, advocacy, victim services, shelter and housing services, community engagement, presentations and training.