Violence Against Women Act

34 U.S. Code § 12341 - Rural domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, and child abuse enforcement assistance

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§ 12341.

Rural domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, and child abuse enforcement assistance

(a) PurposesThe purposes of this section are—

(1) to identify, assess, and appropriately respond to child, youth, and adult victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking in rural communities, by encouraging collaboration among—

(A)

domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking victim service providers;

(B)

law enforcement agencies;

(C)

prosecutors;

(D)

courts;

(E)

other criminal justice service providers;

(F)

human and community service providers;

(G)

educational institutions; and

(H)

health care providers, including sexual assault forensic examiners;

(2)

to establish and expand nonprofit, nongovernmental, State, tribal, territorial, and local government victim services in rural communities to child, youth, and adult victims; and

(3) to 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 occurring in rural communities; and

(B)

creating and implementing strategies to increase awareness and prevent domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking.

(b) Grants authorizedThe Attorney General, acting through the Director of the Office on Violence Against Women (referred to in this section as the “Director”), may award grants to States, Indian tribes, local governments, and nonprofit, public or private entities, including tribal nonprofit organizations, to carry out programs serving rural areas or rural communities that address domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking by—

(1)

implementing, expanding, and establishing 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, including developing multidisciplinary teams focusing on high risk cases with the goal of preventing domestic and dating violence homicides;

(2)

providing 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, including assistance in immigration matters;

(3)

working in cooperation with the community to develop education and prevention strategies directed toward such issues; and

(4)

developing, enlarging, or strengthening programs addressing sexual assault, including sexual assault forensic examiner programs, Sexual Assault Response Teams, law enforcement training, and programs addressing rape kit backlogs.

(5)

developing programs and strategies that focus on the specific needs of victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking who reside in remote rural and geographically isolated areas, including addressing the challenges posed by the lack of access to shelters and victims services, and limited law enforcement resources and training, and providing training and resources to Community Health Aides involved in the delivery of Indian Health Service programs.

(c) Use of funds

Funds appropriated pursuant to this section shall be used only for specific programs and activities expressly described in subsection (a).

(d) Allotments and priorities

(1) Allotment for Indian tribes

(A) In general

Not less than 10 percent of the total amount available under this section for each fiscal year shall be available for grants under the program authorized by section 10452 of this title.

(B) Applicability of part [1]

The requirements of this section shall not apply to funds allocated for the program described in subparagraph (A).

(2) Allotment for sexual assault

(A) In general

Not less than 25 percent of the total amount appropriated in a fiscal year under this section shall fund services that meaningfully address sexual assault in rural communities, however at such time as the amounts appropriated reach the amount of $45,000,000, the percentage allocated shall rise to 30 percent of the total amount appropriated, at such time as the amounts appropriated reach the amount of $50,000,000, the percentage allocated shall rise to 35 percent of the total amount appropriated, and at such time as the amounts appropriated reach the amount of $55,000,000, the percentage allocated shall rise to 40 percent of the amounts appropriated.

(B) Multiple purpose applications

Nothing in this section shall prohibit any applicant from applying for funding to address sexual assault, domestic violence, stalking, or dating violence in the same application.

(3) Allotment for technical assistance

Of the amounts appropriated for each fiscal year to carry out this section, not more than 8 percent may be used by the Director for technical assistance costs. Of the amounts appropriated in this subsection, no less than 25 percent of such amounts shall be available to a nonprofit, nongovernmental organization or organizations whose focus and expertise is in addressing sexual assault to provide technical assistance to sexual assault grantees.

(4) Underserved populations

In awarding grants under this section, the Director shall give priority to the needs of underserved populations.

(5) Allocation of funds for rural States

Not less than 75 percent of the total amount made available for each fiscal year to carry out this section shall be allocated to eligible entities located in rural States.

(e) Authorization of appropriations

(1) In general

There are authorized to be appropriated $50,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2014 through 2018 to carry out this section.

(2) Additional funding

In addition to funds received through a grant under subsection (b), a law enforcement agency may use funds received through a grant under part Q of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 3796dd et seq.) [2] to accomplish the objectives of this section.

(Pub. L. 103–322, title IV, § 40295, Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 1940; Pub. L. 106–386, div. B, title I, §§ 1105, 1109(d), title V, § 1512(c), Oct. 28, 2000, 114 Stat. 1497, 1503, 1533; Pub. L. 109–162, title II, § 203, title IX, § 906(d), Jan. 5, 2006, 119 Stat. 2998, 3081; Pub. L. 109–271, § 7(b)(1), (2)(A), Aug. 12, 2006, 120 Stat. 764; Pub. L. 113–4, title II, § 202, Mar. 7, 2013, 127 Stat. 81.)