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 U.S. Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women awarded a $400,000 Culturally and Linguistically Specific Services Program (CFDA 16.016) grant to Junta De Accion Puertorriquena, Inc. (Puerto Rican Action Board, Inc.), a minority-owned non-profit organization in East Brunswick, New Jersey. The three-year grant will support the organization in providing culturally specific services to Latino survivors of domestic violence, sexual violence, and stalking in Middlesex County, New Jersey. Key activities include case management, financial and autonomy skills training, expressive art workshops, and survivor speaking opportunities at outreach events. The grant aims to enhance traditional services to victims through the leadership of culturally specific programs and develop education and prevention strategies highlighting culturally specific issues and resources for the Latino community.

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, junta DE accion puertorriquena, INC. (puerto rican action board) will implement a project addressing the following purpose areas: purpose area 2 - increasing communities capacity to provide culturally specific resources and support for victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking crimes and their families; 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; and purpose area 5 - working in cooperation with the community to develop education and prevention strategies highlighting culturally specific issues and resources regarding victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking for latinx survivors of domestic violence, sexual violence and stalking within middlesex county in new jersey. Specific activities will include: 1) case management; 2) financial and autonomy skills training; 3) expressive art workshops; and 4) survivor speaking opportunities at outreach events.