The rural domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking program (rural program) is authorized by 34 U.S.C. 12341

The Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women awarded Idaho Legal Aid Services Inc. $698,857 on October 1, 2025, under the Rural Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking Assistance Program (CFDA 16.589).

Idaho Legal Aid Services, in partnership with Family Safety Network and Rose Advocates, delivers civil legal assistance and victim services addressing domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking in rural Idaho communities. The award funds identification, assessment, and response to victims; establishment and expansion of victim services; and safety and awareness initiatives in rural areas. Services are delivered statewide through Idaho Legal Aid Services' seven regional offices, with administrative location in Boise, Idaho.

The award period runs through September 30, 2028. The Rural Program funds organizations that implement cooperative efforts among law enforcement, prosecutors, victim service providers, and related parties; provide treatment, counseling, advocacy, legal assistance, and victim-specific services to adults and minors; develop education and prevention strategies; and address the specific needs of victims in remote and geographically isolated areas.

Rural program funds are used to support programs that: 1) identify, assess, and appropriately respond to child, youth, and adult victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking in rural communities; 2) establish and expand victim services in rural communities to child, youth, and adult victims; 3) increase the safety and well-being of women and children in rural communities, by (a) dealing directly and immediately with domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking; and (B) creating and implementing strategies to increase awareness and prevent these crimes; and 4) develop, expand, implement, and improve the quality of sexual assault forensic medical examination or sexual assault nurse examiner programs. Grantees must use at least one of the following strategies in implementing their projects: 1) implement, expand, and establish cooperative efforts and projects among law enforcement officers, prosecutors, victim service providers, and other related parties to investigate and prosecute incidents of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking; 2) provide treatment, counseling, advocacy, legal assistance, and other long-term and short-term victim and population specific services to adult and minor victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking in rural communities; 3) work in cooperation with the community to develop education and prevention strategies directed toward such issues; 4) develop, enlarge, or strengthen programs addressing sexual assault; and 5) develop programs and strategies that focus on the specific needs of victims of who reside in remote rural and geographically isolated areas. Through this continuation OVW rural program project, idaho legal aid services, in partnership with family safety network, rose advocates, shoshone county crisis and resource center, and voices against violence, will implement the rural safety & stability initiative. This victim-service project addresses the following purpose areas: 1, 2, and 3 for 35 rural counties and 9 additional counties containing rural-designated census tracts. Specific activities will include: 1) civil legal representation for survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking; 2) maintaining a rural litigation fund to cover court costs; 3) providing flexible housing assistance (rent, utilities, relocation, motel vouchers); 4) covering transportation supports such as mileage reimbursement, and fuel cards; and 5) providing bilingual outreach.