The grants to prevent and respond to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, and SEX trafficking against children and youth program supports comprehensive, community-based…

The U.S. Department of Justice's Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) awarded a $500,000 Project Grant under the Consolidated And Technical Assistance Grant Program to Address Children and Youth Experiencing Domestic and Sexual Violence and Engage Men and Boys as Allies (CFDA 16.888) to the AHA Foundation, Inc. The 36-month grant, which commenced on October 1, 2024, will support the AHA Foundation's efforts to prevent and respond to female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) in the Chicago Northside area. Specifically, the grant will fund: 1) FGM/C prevention and personal rights education within local schools; 2) bystander intervention training for students and community members; 3) specialized training for law enforcement and criminal justice professionals on FGM/C; 4) training and resources for school faculty to detect and respond to FGM/C risk; and 5) the development of school policies and protocols to prevent FGM/C. The project will be implemented in partnership with Tapestry 360 Health and Forma.

The grants to prevent and respond to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, and SEX trafficking against children and youth program supports comprehensive, community-based efforts to develop or expand prevention, intervention, treatment, and response strategies to address the needs of children and youth impacted by domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, and SEX trafficking, including support for their non-abusing parents, caregivers, and legal guardians. With this grant funding, the AHA foundation INC. Will implement this project for education and networking to deter female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/c) by enhancing community awareness, improving detection systems, strengthening networks, and providing direct services targeting girls between the ages of 5-15 (purpose area 3) to create a sustainable change in cultural attitudes and a decrease in FGM/c incidents in chicago northside, IL. MOU partners on this project include tapestry 360 health and forma. The project will: 1) deliver comprehensive FGM/c prevention and personal rights education within local schools, tailored to the cultural backgrounds and developmental stages of students; 2) implement bystander intervention training to empower students and community members to recognize and safely intervene in situations where FGM/c might occur; 3) provide specialized training modules for law enforcement and criminal justice professionals to enhance their understanding of FGM/c, improve response strategies, and support legal interventions that are sensitive to victim needs; 4) conduct training sessions and create online learning materials for school faculty and employees to equip them with the knowledge and tools to detect signs of FGM/c risk among students and to respond appropriately; and 5) collaborate with school administrations to develop and implement policies and protocols specifically designed to detect and prevent FGM/c, including referral pathways for at-risk students. The timing for performance of this award is 36 months.