Centro La Familia Advocacy Services Inc

CULTURALLY SPECIFIC SEXUAL ASSAULT SERVICES

THE GRANTS TO ENHANCE CULTURALLY SPECIFIC SERVICES FOR VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, DATING VIOLENCE, SEXUAL ASSAULT, AND STALKING PROGRAM IS AUTHORIZED BY 34 U.S.C. 20124. THIS PROGRAM SUPPORTS THE MAINTENANCE AND REPLICATION OF EXISTING SUCCESSFUL COMMUNITY-BASED PROGRAMS PROVIDING CULTURALLY SPECIFIC SERVICES TO VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, DATING VIOLENCE, SEXUAL ASSAULT, AND STALKING, AS WELL AS THE DEVELOPMENT OF INNOVATIVE CULTURALLY SPECIFIC STRATEGIES TO ENHANCE ACCESS TO SERVICES AND RESOURCES FOR VICTIMS WHO FACE OBSTACLES TO USING MORE TRADITIONAL PROGRAMS. CULTURALLY SPECIFIC SERVICES MEANS COMMUNITY-BASED SERVICES THAT INCLUDE CULTURALLY RELEVANT AND LINGUISTICALLY SPECIFIC SERVICES AND RESOURCES TO CULTURALLY SPECIFIC COMMUNITIES WHICH ARE STATUTORILY DEFINED AS AMERICAN INDIANS (INCLUDING ALASKA NATIVES, ESKIMOS, AND ALEUTS); ASIAN AMERICANS; NATIVE HAWAIIANS AND OTHER PACIFIC ISLANDERS; BLACKS; AND HISPANICS. PROJECTS MUST ADDRESS AT LEAST ONE OF THE PROGRAMS STATUTORY PURPOSE AREAS. THROUGH THIS CONTINUATION CULTURALLY SPECIFIC SERVICES PROGRAM PROJECT, CENTRO LA FAMILIA ADVOCACY SERVICES (CLFA) INC. WILL IMPLEMENT A PROJECT ADDRESSING THE FOLLOWING PURPOSE AREAS: PURPOSE AREA 4 - ENHANCING TRADITIONAL SERVICES TO VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, DATING VIOLENCE, SEXUAL ASSAULT, AND STALKING THROUGH THE LEADERSHIP OF CULTURALLY SPECIFIC PROGRAMS OFFERING SERVICES TO VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, DATING VIOLENCE, SEXUAL ASSAULT, AND STALKING; PURPOSE AREA 5 - WORKING IN COOPERATION WITH THE COMMUNITY TO DEVELOP EDUCATION AND PREVENTION STRATEGIES HIGHLIGHTING CULTURALLY SPECIFIC ISSUES AND RESOURCES; AND PURPOSE AREA 7 - PROVIDING CULTURALLY SPECIFIC RESOURCES AND SERVICES THAT ADDRESS THE SAFETY, ECONOMIC, HOUSING, AND WORKPLACE NEEDS OF VICTIMS, INCLUDING EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE FOR THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY IN FRESNO COUNTY, CALIFORNIA. THE PROJECT WILL ADDRESS PRIORITY AREA 1: ADVANCING RACIAL EQUITY. SPECIFIC ACTIVITIES WILL INCLUDE: 1) CASE MANAGEMENT; 2) COURT ACCOMPANIMENT; 3) PARENTING EDUCATION; 4) EMPLOYMENT SERVICES; AND 5) SUPPORT GROUPS.

THE GRANTS TO ENHANCE CULTURALLY SPECIFIC SERVICES FOR VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, DATING VIOLENCE, SEXUAL ASSAULT, AND STALKING PROGRAM IS AUTHORIZED BY 34 U.S.C. § 20124. THIS PROGRAM SUPPORTS THE MAINTENANCE AND REPLICATION OF EXISTING SUCCESSFUL COMMUNITY-BASED PROGRAMS PROVIDING CULTURALLY SPECIFIC SERVICES TO VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, DATING VIOLENCE, SEXUAL ASSAULT, AND STALKING, AS WELL AS THE DEVELOPMENT OF INNOVATIVE CULTURALLY SPECIFIC STRATEGIES TO ENHANCE ACCESS TO SERVICES AND RESOURCES FOR VICTIMS WHO FACE OBSTACLES TO USING MORE TRADITIONAL PROGRAMS.  CULTURALLY SPECIFIC SERVICES MEANS COMMUNITY-BASED SERVICES THAT INCLUDE CULTURALLY RELEVANT AND LINGUISTICALLY SPECIFIC SERVICES AND RESOURCES TO CULTURALLY SPECIFIC COMMUNITIES WHICH ARE STATUTORILY DEFINED AS “AMERICAN INDIANS (INCLUDING ALASKA NATIVES, ESKIMOS, AND ALEUTS); ASIAN AMERICANS; NATIVE HAWAIIANS AND OTHER PACIFIC ISLANDERS; BLACKS; AND HISPANICS.”  PROJECTS MUST: 1) WORK WITH STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCIES TO DEVELOP AND ENHANCE EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES TO PROVIDE CULTURALLY SPECIFIC VICTIM SERVICES ; 2) INCREASE COMMUNITIES’ CAPACITY TO PROVIDE CULTURALLY SPECIFIC RESOURCES AND SUPPORT FOR VICTIMS AND THEIR FAMILIES; 3) STRENGTHEN CRIMINAL JUSTICE INTERVENTIONS BY PROVIDING TRAINING FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT, PROSECUTION, COURTS, PROBATION, AND CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES ON CULTURALLY SPECIFIC RESPONSES; 4) ENHANCE TRADITIONAL SERVICES TO VICTIMS THROUGH THE LEADERSHIP OF CULTURALLY SPECIFIC VICTIM SERVICES PROGRAMS ; 5) WORK IN COOPERATION WITH THE COMMUNITY TO DEVELOP EDUCATION AND PREVENTION STRATEGIES HIGHLIGHTING CULTURALLY SPECIFIC ISSUES AND RESOURCES; 6) PROVIDE CULTURALLY SPECIFIC PROGRAMS FOR CHILDREN EXPOSED TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, DATING VIOLENCE, SEXUAL ASSAULT, AND STALKING; 7) PROVIDE CULTURALLY SPECIFIC RESOURCES AND SERVICES THAT ADDRESS THE SAFETY, ECONOMIC, HOUSING, AND WORKPLACE NEEDS OF VICTIMS, INCLUDING EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE; AND/OR 8) EXAMINE THE DYNAMICS OF CULTURE AND ITS IMPACT ON VICTIMIZATION AND HEALING.

CULTURALLY SPECIFIC SERVICES FOR SEXUAL ASSAULT AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIMS

THE SEXUAL ASSAULT SERVICES CULTURALLY SPECIFIC PROGRAM (SAS CULTURALLY SPECIFIC PROGRAM) WAS CREATED BY THE VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2005 (VAWA 2005), 34 U.S.C. § 12511(C), AND IS PART OF THE FIRST FEDERAL FUNDING STREAM SOLELY DEDICATED TO THE PROVISION OF DIRECT INTERVENTION AND RELATED ASSISTANCE FOR VICTIMS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT. INTERVENTION AND RELATED ASSISTANCE INCLUDE ADVOCACY, ACCOMPANIMENT (E.G., ACCOMPANYING VICTIMS TO COURT, MEDICAL FACILITIES, POLICE DEPARTMENTS, ETC.), CRISIS INTERVENTION AND SUPPORT SERVICES, AND REFERRALS, AMONG OTHER SERVICES. UNDER THIS PROGRAM, SUCH SERVICES MAY BE PROVIDED TO ADULT, YOUTH, AND CHILD VICTIMS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT, FAMILY AND HOUSEHOLD MEMBERS OF SUCH VICTIMS, AND THOSE COLLATERALLY AFFECTED BY THE VICTIMIZATION.    SURVIVORS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT FROM CULTURALLY SPECIFIC COMMUNITIES FREQUENTLY CONFRONT UNIQUE CHALLENGES WHEN SEEKING ASSISTANCE, SUCH AS LINGUISTIC AND CULTURAL BARRIERS. CULTURALLY SPECIFIC COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS ARE MORE LIKELY TO UNDERSTAND THESE CHALLENGES BECAUSE THEY ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE CULTURE, LANGUAGE, AND BACKGROUND OF VICTIMS FROM THEIR COMMUNITIES, WHO IN TURN ARE MORE INCLINED TO SEEK SERVICES FROM SUCH ORGANIZATIONS. THE GOAL OF THE SAS CULTURALLY SPECIFIC PROGRAM IS TO CREATE, MAINTAIN, AND EXPAND SUSTAINABLE SEXUAL ASSAULT SERVICES PROVIDED BY CULTURALLY SPECIFIC COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS, WHICH SERVE A VITAL ROLE IN PROVIDING SERVICES THAT ARE RELEVANT FOR THEIR COMMUNITIES. GRANTEES MUST EITHER DEMONSTRATE EXPERTISE IN SEXUAL ASSAULT OR PARTNER WITH AN ORGANIZATION THAT HAS SUCH EXPERTISE. CULTURALLY SPECIFIC IS STATUTORILY DEFINED AS ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING RACIAL AND ETHNIC COMMUNITIES: 1) AMERICAN INDIANS (INCLUDING ALASKA NATIVES, ESKIMOS, AND ALEUTS); 2) ASIAN AMERICANS; 3) NATIVE HAWAIIANS AND OTHER PACIFIC ISLANDERS; 4) BLACKS; AND 5) HISPANICS. SEE 34 U.S.C. §§ 12511(C)(2), 12291(A)(6), AND 42 U.S.C. § 300U-6(G)(1).

PROMOTORA ADVOCACY AND RESOURCES FOR VICTIMS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT