CHARLESTON, WV (WVDN) – Gov. Jim Justice announced that he has awarded $1,073,538.00 in STOP Violence Against Women program grant funds to 24 projects across West Virginia.
The purpose of these funds is to establish or enhance teams whose core members include victim service providers, law enforcement, and prosecution to improve the criminal justice system’s response to violence against women.
The grants provide personnel, equipment, training, technical assistance, and information systems for the establishment or enhancement of these teams.
Additionally, statewide projects are funded to provide training and educational opportunities for all victim service providers, law enforcement, prosecution, and court personnel throughout the state.
These funds are provided by the U.S. Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women, and are administered by the Justice and Community Services Section of the West Virginia Division of Administrative Services.
Funds were awarded to the following:
STATEWIDE
Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia
$49,269.00
These funds provide for the expansion of the Victim Outreach Remote Technology Project to improve the court system’s response to violent crimes against women through training and increasing virtual access for victims/survivors to the state court system.
West Virginia Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Inc.
$51,300.00
These funds provide cultural competency training and technical assistance opportunities for STOP Teams, domestic and sexual violence advocates, and allied professions.
West Virginia Foundation for Rape Information Services
$167,214.00
These funds expand training, collaborations, resource development, and technical assistance to strengthen sexual assault and stalking services.
West Virginia Prosecuting Attorneys Institute
$64,335.00
The purpose is to continue to develop and strengthen prosecution strategies and best practices, as well as improve prosecution-based victim services in cases involving violence against women.
CABELL COUNTY
Branches Domestic Violence Shelter, Inc.
$105,598.00
These funds provide for the comprehensive assistance to victims of violence, sexual assault, and stalking in Cabell County by providing effective prosecution, victim advocacy, legal advocacy, crisis intervention, support services, training, evidence collection, BIPPS facilitation, and to promote awareness.
CALHOUN COUNTY
Family Crisis Intervention Center
$19,667.00
These funds provide for the continuation to support a full-time advocate addressing the needs of victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, and dating violence.
FAYETTE COUNTY
Comprehensive Women’s Service Council
$28,286.00
These funds provide for building a more coordinated and informed community response to victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking, while holding perpetrators accountable for their crimes.
GRANT COUNTY
Family Crisis Center
$5,503.00
These funds provide for continued services for court advocacy, the STOP Team, public awareness, and networking between agencies on behalf of domestic violence, stalking, sexual assault, dating violence, and human trafficking.
GREENBRIER COUNTY
Family Refuge Center
$37,711.00
These funds are to improve and enhance advocacy for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, and teen dating violence through collaboration in Greenbrier County.
HARRISON COUNTY
HOPE Inc. Task Force on Domestic Violence
$42,066.00
These funds are to continue the multidisciplinary approach to fighting the problems of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, and dating violence. Focus on the coordination of victim services to include the following members: the Harrison County Prosecuting Attorney, Harrison County Sheriff’s Office, the Clarksburg City Police Department, the Bridgeport Police Department, and the Task Force on Domestic Violence, HOPE Inc.
LOGAN COUNTY
Logan County Commission
$25,052.00
These funds provide a salary for a part-time Assistant Prosecuting Attorney dedicated to the prosecution of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, and dating violence. The funds further provide for overtime pay for deputies to serve domestic violence protective orders and like documentation for domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, and dating violence cases.
MARION COUNTY
HOPE Inc. Task Force on Domestic Violence
$42,871.00
These funds are to continue the multidisciplinary approach to fighting the problems of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, dating violence, elder abuse, and human trafficking. Focus is on the coordination of victim services to include the following members: Marion County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney, Fairmont City Police Department, and the Task Force on Domestic Violence, Hope Inc.
MARSHALL COUNTY
Marshall County Commission
$22,221.00
These funds provide a cohesive partnership, which teams a veteran deputy sheriff with a YWCA victim service advocate and an assistant prosecuting attorney. The group works together, from the initial report to the final prosecution, to help streamline the legal process that the victim encounters.
MINERAL COUNTY
Family Crisis Center
$5,503.00
These funds provide for continued services for court advocacy, the STOP Team, public awareness, and networking between agencies on behalf of domestic violence, stalking, sexual assault, dating violence, and human trafficking.
MINGO COUNTY
Tug Valley Recovery Shelter Association, Inc.
$80,961.00
These funds provide services for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, and dating violence to make certain victims receive all the services they may need.
MONONGALIA COUNTY
Rape and Domestic Violence Information Center
$67,180.00
These funds provide the STOP team with representatives of Monongalia and Preston Counties to participate in training and networking. Victim services will be provided by RDVIC.
MONROE COUNTY
Family Refuge Center
$19,814.00
These funds provide for the enhancement of programs and services for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, and teen dating violence through collaboration in Monroe County.
NICHOLAS COUNTY
Comprehensive Women’s Service Council
$28,747.00
These funds provide for building a more coordinated and informed community response to victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, stalking, and holding perpetrators accountable for their crimes.
OHIO COUNTY
Ohio County Commission
$65,585.00
The funds provide for a multi-party approach in addressing the ever-present problems of family violence in general and violence against women.
PRESTON COUNTY
Rape and Domestic Violence Information Center
$31,040.00
These funds provide the STOP team with representatives of Monongalia and Preston Counties to participate in training and networking. Victim services will be provided by RDVIC.
PUTNAM COUNTY
Putnam County Commission
$27,332.00
These funds provide continuation of domestic violence investigation, follow up services, and training by Sgt. Heather Grimmett.
RALEIGH COUNTY
Comprehensive Women’s Service Council
$47,825.00
These funds provide for building a more coordinated and informed community response to victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, stalking, and holding perpetrators accountable for their crimes.
RANDOLPH COUNTY
Women’s Aid in Crisis, Inc.
$21,311.00
These funds provide services to end violence against women by working together as a multidisciplinary team to provide unduplicated, continuous, safe, trauma-informed, and victim-centered services with specific outreach to underserved women.
ROANE COUNTY
Family Crisis Intervention Center
$17,147.00
These funds provide for the continuation to support a full-time advocate addressing the needs of victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, and dating violence.
