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's Office on Violence Against Women awarded Saahas For Cause, a woman-owned non-profit community development corporation based in Santa Ana, California, a $400,000 three-year Project Grant (CFDA 16.016 - Culturally and Linguistically Specific Services Program) to enhance culturally specific services for victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking within the South Asian community in Los Angeles and Orange Counties. Through this grant, Saahas For Cause will provide comprehensive support services, including case management, legal support, transportation, emergency assistance, and individual and group therapy. The project aims to increase the community's capacity to provide culturally relevant resources, develop education and prevention strategies, and address the safety, economic, housing, and workplace needs of the South Asian population in the targeted region.

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 new culturally specific services program project, saahas for cause 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 5 - working in cooperation with the community to develop education and prevention strategies highlighting culturally specific issues; and purpose area 7 - providing culturally specific resources and services that address the safety, economic, housing, and workplace needs for the south asian community in LOS angeles and orange counties, california. Specific activities will include: 1) case management; 2) legal support and referrals; 3) transportation; 4) emergency assistance; and 5) individual and group therapy.