$1.2M for Nebraska Public Safety to Combat Violence Against Women

The Nebraska Crime Commission, in partnership with the Department of Justice’s Federal Office on Violence Against Women (OVW), is awarding $1.2 million in S.T.O.P (Services, Training, Officers, Prosecutors) Grant funding to prevent and reduce the amount of sexual assault and domestic violence against women in the state.

Grant recipient projects are required to support one of 20 federal purpose areas in order to receive funding, of which the top five are priority areas for Nebraska:

1. Training officials to identify and respond to crimes against women
2. Developing and cultivating officials specifically targeting crimes against women
3. Developing and implementing more effective officials and services dedicated to preventing, identifying and responding to crimes against women
4. Developing or expanding communications systems to track data from crimes against women
5. Strengthening victim services and legal assistance programs
6. Strengthening programs to address the needs of Indian tribes in dealing with violent crimes against women
7. Supporting a variety of statewide efforts to coordinate the response of law enforcement, court systems, prosecutors and other officials to crimes against women
8. Training sexual assault forensic medical personnel examiners in the collection of evidence and providing expert testimony in cases of crimes against women
9. Strengthening programs to assist officials when dealing with the needs and circumstances of older or disabled women who are victims of violent crimes
10. Providing assistance to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault in immigration matters
11. Maintaining core services while initiating new programs and ideas
12. Supporting the placement of “Jessica Gonzales Victim Assistants” to serve as a liaison between law enforcement and victims of sexual assault and domestic violence
13. Provide funding to create, implement and expand crimes against women protocol
14. Developing and expanding policies that promote best practices when dealing with violent crimes against women
15. Developing or creating Sexual Assault Response Teams (SARTs)
16. Developing best practices related to the investigation and prosecution of violent crimes against women, as well as working with the victims
17. Developing or strengthening programs that address sexual assault against men, women and youth in detention or correctional facilities
18. Creating an inventory of sexual assault kit backlogs and develop polices and protocols to address the backlog, including notifying and involving victims
19. Developing programs that address sexual crimes against men and women who may have difficulty accessing traditional programs based on their sexual orientation or gender identity
20. Strengthening prevention and education programming to address sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence or stalking

All awards require a 25 percent match from the selected organizations.

Applications are due by January 24, 2019.