The legal assistance for victims (LAV) grant program, authorized by 34 U.S.C. 20121, is intended to increase the availability of civil and criminal legal assistance needed to effectively aid victims…

The Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women awarded Greater Bakersfield Legal Assistance Inc. $750,000 under the Legal Assistance for Victims (LAV) Grant Program on October 1, 2025, for comprehensive legal representation for survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking in Kern County, California through September 30, 2028.

Greater Bakersfield Legal Assistance Inc., in partnership with the Open Door Network, will deliver direct legal services addressing protection order proceedings, family law cases, housing and landlord-tenant matters, consumer rights issues, and coerced debt matters. The award mandates that at least 50 percent of grant activities focus on sexual assault survivors. Legal assistance includes representation in family, immigration, employment, administrative agency, and housing matters; criminal justice investigations, prosecutions, and post-trial proceedings affecting victim safety and privacy; alternative dispute resolution and restorative practices promoting victim autonomy; and post-conviction relief proceedings related to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, or sex trafficking. Performance occurs in Bakersfield, California.

The legal assistance for victims (LAV) grant program, authorized by 34 U.S.C. 20121, is intended to increase the availability of civil and criminal legal assistance needed to effectively aid victims (ages 11 and older) of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking by providing funds for comprehensive direct legal services to victims in legal matters relating to or arising out of that abuse or violence. Legal assistance includes assistance to victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking in: a) family, tribal, territorial, immigration, employment, administrative agency, housing matters, campus administrative, or protection or stay away order proceedings, and other similar matters; b) criminal justice investigations, prosecutions, and post-trial matters (including sentencing, parole, and probation) that impact the victims safety and privacy; c) alternative dispute resolution, restorative practices, or other processes intended to promote victim safety, privacy, and autonomy; and d) post-conviction relief proceedings in state, local, tribal, or territorial court where the conviction of a victim is related to or arising from domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, or SEX trafficking. 34 U.S.C. 12291(a)(24)(c). Through this new legal assistance for victims project, greater bakersfield legal assistance INC., in partnership with the open door network, will provide comprehensive legal representation for survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and/or stalking in legal matters including but not limited to protection order hearings, family law cases, housing/landlord-tenant cases, and consumer rights/coerced debt matters in kern county, california. The project will address the following statutory consideration: improve the availability of legal services for sexual assault survivors by focusing 50 percent or more of its grant activities on sexual assault legal services. The following products will be developed during the project period: printed outreach materials to raise awareness of the project among victims and survivors.