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…

This Project Grant award, valued at $500,000 and funded by the Department of Justice's Office on Violence Against Women under the Legal Assistance for Victims (LAV) Grant Program (CFDA 16.524), will enable the Georgia Legal Services Program, Inc. to provide comprehensive civil legal services to survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking across 40 counties in Georgia. The award, a continuation of a previous LAV grant, will fund direct legal representation, advocacy, and assistance in legal matters such as protective orders, divorce, custody, visitation, child/spousal support, and securing financial benefits. The organization collaborates with partners like Rape Response and Sexual Assault Response Center to deliver these holistic legal services to the target population. The award period runs from October 1, 2024, to September 30, 2026.

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 for victims project, georgia legal services program, in partnership with rape response and sexual assault response center, will provide direct, holistic, civil legal services to survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking in the 40 counties served by the georgia legal services program gainesville and augusta regional offices. Legal services provided through this project will include cases related to protective orders, divorce, custody, visitation, child and spousal support, as well as cases and assistance required to secure other financial benefits. This award is a continuation of 15JOVW-21-GG-00360-lega.