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

The Office on Violence Against Women awarded Karidat Social Services $499,396 on October 1, 2025, under the Rural Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking Assistance Program (CFDA 16.589).

Karidat will deliver victim-centered case management, transitional housing, counseling, and legal aid to survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking in the Northern Mariana Islands, with anticipated sub-awards to local partner organizations. The Rural Program funds initiatives that identify, assess, and appropriately respond to child, youth, and adult victims in rural communities; establish and expand victim services; increase safety and well-being through direct intervention and prevention strategies; and develop or improve sexual assault forensic medical examination and sexual assault nurse examiner programs. Grantees must implement at least one qualifying strategy, including cooperative efforts among law enforcement, prosecutors, and victim service providers; provision of treatment, counseling, advocacy, and legal assistance; community-based education and prevention; sexual assault program development; or programs addressing the specific needs of victims in remote, rural, and geographically isolated areas.

The award runs from October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2028, with place of performance in the Northern Mariana Islands. Karidat, a tax-exempt nonprofit domestic shelter provider registered in the Northern Mariana Islands since 2006, specializes in victim-centered and trauma-informed services for survivors of violence, abuse, and exploitation across Saipan, Tinian, and Rota.

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 new OVW rural program project, karidat social services, in partnership with commonwealth of the northern mariana islands (cnmi) department of public safety - special victims investigation unit, department of public safety - municipality of saipan, department of public safety - municipality of rota, department of public safety - municipality of tinian, rota health center and tinian health center under the commonwealth healthcare corporation, cnmi attorney generals office criminal division, the pacific ombudsman for humanitarian law, and micronesian legal services corporation, will implement karidats building capacity project. This victim service project addresses the following purpose areas: 1, 2, and 3 for the northern mariana islands. Specific activities include: 1) expanding direct services and support to victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking in the islands of rota and tinian, including assistance with filing restraining orders, court accompaniment, emergency shelter stay, counseling, and case management services; 2) strengthening collaboration among karidat and MOU partners to improve response and services to victims; 3) providing training and professional development to local law enforcement, service providers, and MOU partners; and 4) addressing the unique challenges of rural areas in the cnmi surrounding domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. During the project, the recipient will develop the following products: tools, policies, and project documents, confidentiality forms, and other recommended policies and procedures.