WASHINGTON – Senator Chuck Grassley today said that the U.S. Department of Justice's Office of Violence Against Women has awarded a $457,600 competitive grant to the Iowa Coalition Against Sexual Assault in Des Moines through the Legal Assistance for Victims Grant Program.
The Iowa Coalition Against Sexual Assault will use the funds to help provide 28 sexual assault crisis centers with legal advice, training and technical assistance, provide survivors of sexual assault with access to holistic legal services, increase outreach and services to survivors of sexual assault who serve or have served in the military or are the partner of a military service member, increase outreach and services to survivors of campus sexual assault and provide training and technical assistance to project partners.
"These funds will help the Iowa Coalition Against Sexual Assault effectively help victims of domestic, dating and sexual assault," Grassley said.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the Legal Assistance for Victims Grant Program is designed to strengthen civil and criminal legal assistance programs for adult and youth victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking who are seeking relief in legal matters arising as a consequence of that abuse or violence.
Each year, thousands of local Iowa organizations, colleges and universities, individuals and state agencies apply for competitive grants from the federal government. The funding is then awarded based on each local organization or individual's ability to meet criteria set by the federal entity.