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

This $400,000 Project Grant was awarded by the U.S. Department of Justice's Office on Violence Against Women under the Culturally and Linguistically Specific Services Program (CFDA 16.016). The funds will support Dvsa Communities, a non-profit community development corporation, in providing culturally relevant and linguistically specific services to Latino victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking in the Chicago, Illinois area. Key activities to be delivered over the 3-year award period include: 1) workforce development, 2) domestic violence and sexual assault prevention and education programming, 3) group support services, 4) direct services, and 5) legal advocacy. These comprehensive support mechanisms aim to increase community capacity, develop educational strategies, provide culturally relevant resources, and offer direct assistance to underserved victims facing significant barriers in accessing traditional support services.

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, dvsa communities 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 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 regarding victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking for the latino community in chicago, illinois. Specific activities will include: 1) workforce development; 2) domestic violence and sexual assault prevention and education programming; 3) group support services; 4) direct services; and 5) legal advocacy.