The grants to enhance culturally specific services for victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking program is authorized by 34 U.S.C. 20124

The Department of Justice's Office on Violence Against Women awarded a $475,000 Culturally and Linguistically Specific Services Program (CFDA 16.016) grant to Latinas Unidas POR Un Nuevo Amanecer (L.U.N.A.), a non-profit organization in Des Moines, Iowa. Through this 3-year project grant, L.U.N.A. will implement culturally specific services for Latino survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking in Polk and Marshall Counties, Iowa. Key activities include providing a culturally specific curriculum for youth, youth support and advocacy groups, strengthening relationships with youth-serving organizations, and developing culturally specific educational brochures for youth. The project addresses the statutory purpose areas of enhancing traditional victim services, developing culturally specific prevention strategies, and providing programs for children exposed to violence. By delivering these tailored services, L.U.N.A. aims to address barriers faced by Latinx immigrant communities in accessing critical support.

This program supports the maintenance and replication of existing successful community-based programs providing culturally specific services to victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking, as well as the development of innovative culturally specific strategies to enhance access to services and resources for victims who face obstacles to using more traditional programs. Culturally specific services means community-based services that include culturally relevant and linguistically specific services and resources to culturally specific communities which are statutorily defined as american indians (including alaska natives, eskimos, and aleuts); asian americans; native hawaiians and other pacific islanders; blacks; and hispanics. Projects must address at least one of the programs statutory purpose areas. Through this continuation culturally specific services program project, latinas unidas POR UN nuevo amanecer (L.U.N.A.) will implement a project addressing the following purpose areas: purpose area 4 - enhancing traditional services to victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking through the leadership of culturally specific programs offering services to victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking; purpose area 5 - working in cooperation with the community to develop education and prevention strategies highlighting culturally specific issues and resources; and purpose area 6 - providing culturally specific programs for children exposed to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking for latino survivors in polk and marshall counties, iowa. The project will address the following priority area: priority area 2 - strengthening efforts to prevent and end sexual assault. Specific activities will include: 1) culturally specific curriculum for youth; 2) youth support and advocacy groups 3) strengthening relationships with youth serving organizations; and 4) developing culturally specific educational brochures for youth.