The legal assistance for victims (LAV) grant program, authorized by 34 U.S.C. 20121, is intended to increase the availability of civil and criminal legal assistance needed to effectively aid victims…

The Department of Justice's Office on Violence Against Women awarded a $750,000 Legal Assistance for Victims (LAV) Grant Program (CFDA 16.524) to Legal Services of North Florida, Inc. (LSNF) to provide comprehensive civil and criminal legal services to survivors of sexual assault, stalking, dating and domestic violence in 16 Florida panhandle counties. Through this 3-year project grant, LSNF will collaborate with Refuge House, Gulf Coast Sexual Assault Program, and the Florida Council Against Sexual Violence to deliver legal representation, advocacy, and assistance to victims in various legal matters such as family law, immigration, housing, protection orders, employment, and criminal justice proceedings. The project aims to strengthen efforts to prevent and end sexual assault, including through the development of outreach materials, web-based educational content for survivors, and a training manual and webinar for new attorneys on representing survivors of sexual assault.

The legal assistance for victims (LAV) grant program, authorized by 34 U.S.C. 20121, is intended to increase the availability of civil and criminal legal assistance needed to effectively aid victims (ages 11 and older) of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking by providing funds for comprehensive direct legal services to victims in legal matters relating to or arising out of that abuse or violence. Legal assistance includes assistance to victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking in: a) family, tribal, territorial, immigration, employment, administrative agency, housing matters, campus administrative, or protection or stay away order proceedings, and other similar matters; B) criminal justice investigations, prosecutions, and post-trial matters (including sentencing, parole, and probation) that impact the victims safety and privacy; C) alternative dispute resolution, restorative practices, or other processes intended to promote victim safety, privacy, and autonomy; and D) post-conviction relief proceedings in state, local, tribal, or territorial court where the conviction of a victim is related to or arising from domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, or SEX trafficking. 34 U.S.C. 12291(a)(24)(C) and (D). Through this continuation legal assistance to victims project, legal services of north florida, in partnership with refuge house, gulf coast sexual assault program, and the florida council against sexual violence (FCASV), will provide collaborative legal and advocacy services to survivors of sexual assault, stalking, dating and domestic violence in 16 florida panhandle counties the project will address the following priority area: strengthen efforts to prevent and end sexual assault including victim services and civil and criminal justice responses. The following products will be developed: outreach postcards/brochures, web-based educational content for survivors, and a training manual and webinar for new attorneys with a focus on representing survivors of sexual assault, which can be shared with partner advocates and attorneys. This award is a continuation of 2015-WL-AX-0029.