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 (OVW) awarded a $950,000 Project Grant under the Rural Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking Assistance Program (CFDA 16.589) to the Western Kansas Child Advocacy Center (WKCAC). The 36-month grant will enable WKCAC, in partnership with local law enforcement, to expand access to Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) medical programs and enhance victim services across 34 rural counties in Western Kansas. Key activities include developing a mobile SANE program, creating educational resources for law enforcement and medical providers, and implementing a survey to ensure victim-centered services. The project addresses priority areas such as strengthening sexual assault prevention, victim services, and civil/criminal justice responses, with a focus on non-intimate partner sexual assault across the lifespan.

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 continuation OVW rural program project, the western kansas child advocacy center (wkcac), in partnership with the scott city police department and scott county sheriff's department, will implement the expanding MDT awareness, education & services of the mobile sane program. This victim service project addresses the following purpose areas: 1, 2, 3, and 4 for all 34 counties in western kansas, focusing on areas currently underserved by hospital-based sane programs. Specific activities will include: 1) expanding sane medical program access in all 34 counties, developing peer review and support among sane programs, enhancing awareness and education for wkcacs mobile medical program among local law enforcement, hospitals, and clinics, emphasizing a trauma victim-oriented approach; 2) creating a guide for developing mobile sane programs, including a comprehensive written and internet version guide, presentations at conferences, and educational materials for law enforcement and medical providers; and 3) implementing a survey for victims and family members to ensure their voices guide services and improvements. The project will address the following priority areas: priority area 2: strengthen efforts to prevent and end sexual assault, including victim services and civil and criminal justice responses, with a focus on non-intimate partner sexual assault across the lifespan including outreach, medical forensic care, mental health, and victim services. The timing for performance of this award is 36 months.