Willow Domestic Violence Center Of Greater Rochester Inc

SEXUAL ASSAULT IN THE DEAF COMMUNITY

THE GRANTS FOR OUTREACH AND SERVICES TO UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS (UNDERSERVED PROGRAM) WAS STATUTORILY CREATED IN THE VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2013 (VAWA 2013) TO DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT OUTREACH STRATEGIES TARGETED AT ADULT OR YOUTH VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, DATING VIOLENCE, SEXUAL ASSAULT, OR STALKING IN UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS, AND TO PROVIDE VICTIM SERVICES TO MEET THE NEEDS OF SUCH POPULATIONS. GRANT FUNDS MAY BE USED TO: 1) WORK WITH FEDERAL, STATE, TRIBAL, TERRITORIAL, AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, AGENCIES, AND ORGANIZATIONS TO DEVELOP OR ENHANCE POPULATION SPECIFIC VICTIM SERVICES; 2) STRENGTHEN THE CAPACITY OF UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS TO PROVIDE POPULATION SPECIFIC VICTIM SERVICES; 3) STRENGTHEN THE CAPACITY OF TRADITIONAL VICTIM SERVICE PROVIDERS TO PROVIDE POPULATION SPECIFIC VICTIM SERVICES; 4) STRENGTHEN THE EFFECTIVENESS OF CRIMINAL AND CIVIL JUSTICE INTERVENTIONS BY PROVIDING TRAINING FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT, PROSECUTORS, JUDGES, AND OTHER COURT PERSONNEL ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, DATING VIOLENCE, SEXUAL ASSAULT, OR STALKING IN UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS; OR 5) WORK IN COOPERATION WITH AN UNDERSERVED POPULATION TO DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT OUTREACH, EDUCATION, PREVENTION, AND INTERVENTION STRATEGIES THAT HIGHLIGHT AVAILABLE RESOURCES AND THE SPECIFIC ISSUES FACED BY VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, DATING VIOLENCE, SEXUAL ASSAULT, OR STALKING FROM UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS. ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS ARE LIMITED TO: POPULATION SPECIFIC ORGANIZATIONS OR VICTIM SERVICE PROVIDERS THAT ARE (1) DEAF PROGRAMS (2) LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, AND TRANSGENDER (LGBT) ORGANIZATIONS, (3) RELIGIOUS MINORITY ORGANIZATIONS, AND (4) DISABILITY PROGRAMS.

THIS APPLICATION IS BEING SUBMITTED BY WILLOW DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CENTER OF GREATER ROCHESTER, INC. (WILLOW), WHICH HOSTS THE REGION’S ONLY DEAF-LED AND DEAF-SPECIFIC DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SERVICES FOR SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE THROUGH THE DEAF IGNITE PROGRAM AT WILLOW (IGNITE). WILLOW IS SEEKING PRIORITY CONSIDERATION FOR CATEGORY 1 AS A CULTURALLY SPECIFIC ORGANIZATION DUE TO   IGNITE. IGNITE WILL WORK ON THIS PROJECT WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS INCLUDING RESTORE (A SEXUAL ASSAULT AGENCY), THE HEAL COLLABORATIVE - HEALING THROUGH HEALTH, EDUCATION, ADVOCACY, AND LAW - AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER’S MEDICAL CENTER, AND THE PERSON-IN-CRISIS (PIC) TEAM TO ENHANCE ACCESS TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE (DV) AND SEXUAL ASSAULT (SA) SERVICES FOR DEAF VICTIMS OF CRIME.   DESPITE A DIVERSE AND ROBUST DEAF COMMUNITY IN ROCHESTER (ONE OF THE LARGEST IN THE NATION), BARRIERS AND GAPS TO DV/SA SERVICES CONTINUE TO EXIST. LOCAL DEAF VICTIMS AND IGNITE ADVOCATES HAVE OBSERVATIONALLY AND ANECDOTALLY IDENTIFIED GAPS IN SERVICE, INCLUDING:   LACK OF TRAUMA INFORMED QUALIFIED INTERPRETERS (TIQIS) AND LANGUAGE ACCESS WITHIN LEGAL, MEDICAL AND SERVICE SYSTEMS TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND SEXUAL ASSAULT SERVICES   LACK OF ACCESS TO CULTURALLY APPROPRIATE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND SEXUAL ASSAULT SERVICES   LACK OF OUTREACH, PREVENTION EDUCATION, AND ADVOCACY AROUND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND SEXUAL ASSAULT IN THE DEAF COMMUNITY, INCLUDING

SAFE AND SELF-SUFFICIENT COMMUNITIES THROUGH WILLOW'S SUPPORTIVE SERVICES

ADVOCACY SERVICES FOR ABUSED DEAF VICTIMS IN MONROE COUNTY NY