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

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, southwest virginia legal aid, in partnership with clinch valley community, INC. (cvca), family crisis support services, INC. (fcss), and people INC. (P.I.), will implement empowering rural survivors in appalachia. This project addresses the following purpose areas: 1, 2, and 3 for the virginia counties of buchanan, LEE, dickenson, russell, tazewell, and wise; and the city of norton. Specific activities will include: 1) providing legal assistance to help victims in all legal matters stemming from violence, and a resumption of representation in contested divorce cases for some victims; 2) maintaining and expanding emergency and transitional housing for victims; 3) maintaining and expanding housing-related financial assistance for victims; 4) maintaining transportation services for victims through various means; and 5) establishing domestic violence dockets (DV dockets) resulting in increased coordination of community resources and improved community responses to violence and victims needs. The timing for performance of this award is 24 months.