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

The U.S. Department of Justice's Office on Violence Against Women awarded a $700,000 Rural Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking Assistance Program (CFDA 16.589) grant to Thrive Center Inc. in Queen Creek, Arizona. The 36-month project, which commenced on October 1, 2024, will provide short- and long-term trauma-informed victim services, law enforcement training on sexual violence, outreach and education activities, and development of a Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) for rural survivors in Gila, Graham, Greenlee, and Pinal Counties. Key project partners include Banner Health, Compassion Care Center, and Face of a Survivor. The grant aims to enhance the safety and well-being of women and children in these rural communities by addressing domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking through collaborative efforts among victim service providers, law enforcement, prosecutors, and other stakeholders.

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 by encouraging collaboration among victim service providers, law enforcement agencies, prosecutors, courts, other criminal justice service providers, human and community service providers, educational institutions, and health care providers; 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. Through this new OVW rural program project, thrive center INC., in partnership with banner health, compassion care center and face of a survivor, will implement the rural survivors services program project. This victim service project addresses the following purpose areas: 2 and 3 for gila, graham, and greenlee counties and rural parts of pinal county in arizona. Specific activities will include: 1) providing short- and long-term trauma-informed, comprehensive, holistic victim services prioritizing victim safety, confidentiality, informed decision-making, and autonomy for rural survivors of sexual violence, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking; (2) developing and providing arizona peace officer standards and training (azpost) certified trainings to law enforcement specific to sexual violence; (3) participating in outreach and education activities; (4) collaborating with key stakeholders to develop a sexual assault response team (sart); and (5) developing brochures and informational handouts in english and spanish and outreach items, such as pens and water bottles, to reach rural survivors. The project will address priority area 2: prevent and end sexual assault. The timing for performance of this award is 36 months.