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 Safe Voices $400,000 on October 1, 2025, under the Legal Assistance for Victims (LAV) Grant Program to establish a comprehensive legal services program serving victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking aged 11 and older.

Safe Voices will plan and implement legal representation in protection from abuse order cases, custody cases, divorce cases, and other family law matters for victims and survivors in Franklin and Oxford Counties, Maine. The award funds establishment of legal assistance services in matters relating to or arising from abuse or violence, including family, immigration, employment, housing, and administrative proceedings.

The period of performance runs through September 30, 2027. Place of performance is Lewiston, Maine. Safe Voices is a tax-exempt nonprofit domestic abuse and sex trafficking resource center headquartered in Maine and registered as a federal award recipient since March 2010. The organization delivers comprehensive services across Franklin, Oxford, and Androscoggin Counties, with extensive experience administering victim services programs funded by the Office on Violence Against Women.

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). The LAV grant programs expanding legal services initiative (ELSI) is intended to enable eligible organizations that do not currently offer legal services to establish a program that provides legal representation to victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. Through this new legal assistance for victims expanding legal services initiative project, safe voices will plan and implement a comprehensive legal services program to provide representation in protection from abuse order cases, custody cases, divorce cases, and other family law cases to victims and survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and/or stalking in franklin and oxford counties in maine.