New money from the United States Department of Justice will provide support for victims of sexual assault. Indiana will receive almost $1 million in grant funding to increase resources for sexual assault victims.
The Indiana court system will receive more than $980,000 this grant money — which is a part of the total of more than $50 million for all 50 states.
The funding comes from the Office of Violence Against Women, a federal office working to reduce violence against women through policies and increased services.
These specific grants are awarded through the Sexual Assault Services Formula Grant Program (SASP), which was established through the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act in 2005. SASP is the country’s first federal funding source that is committed to direct intervention and assistance to victims of sexual assault.
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This year’s funding is an almost 45 percent increase from last year.
In a press release, advocates for sexual assault funding said this extra money will help support trauma-informed services and counseling, and rape crisis centers. They said this money can also be tailored to survivors of sexual assault and their unique needs.
Violet is our daily news reporter. Contact her at vcomberwilen@wfyi.org or follow her on Twitter at @ComberWilen.