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 Advocates for Immigrant Survivors $750,000 under the Legal Assistance for Victims program (CFDA 16.524) on October 1, 2025.

Advocates for Immigrant Survivors, in partnership with DAYA, Inc., will provide full legal representation to victims of domestic violence, dating violence, stalking, and sexual assault in greater Houston, Texas. The project will allocate 50 percent or more of grant activities to sexual assault legal services. Legal assistance covers family law, immigration, employment, housing, protection and stay-away order proceedings, criminal justice investigations and prosecutions, post-trial matters including sentencing and parole, alternative dispute resolution and restorative practices, and post-conviction relief proceedings where the victim's conviction arose from domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, or sex trafficking.

The award runs from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2028, with place of performance in Houston, Texas 77008. This is a continuation award following grant 15JOVW-22-GG-00322-LEGA.

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 continuation legal assistance for victims project, advocates for immigrant survivors, in partnership with daya, INC., will provide full legal representation to victims of domestic violence, dating violence, stalking, or sexual assault in greater houston, texas. 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. This award is a continuation of 15JOVW-22-GG-00322-lega.