Northern District of Georgia | The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia celebrates awarding grants for legal services and improved judicial responses to domestic and sexual violence

ATLANTA – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is proud to announce that the Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) has received $2,450,000 to provide legal services and improve the effective coordination of justice systems that impact survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence and stalking.

“Congress passed the Violence Against Women Act in 1994 to advance federal efforts to combat crimes against women related to domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, and other crimes. “I am pleased to announce that our District has received funding from the Office on Violence Against Women to provide critical resources to improve the coordination of these investigations,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “Our office is proud to work with each of the recipients of these grants and wants to work even more closely with these and other organizations to combat the scourge of domestic violence and make our communities safer.”

“The Victim Legal Assistance Grant, in conjunction with the Justice for Families program and the Domestic Violence Mentor Technical Assistance Initiative, serves as a powerful, multi-pronged strategy to enhance the justice system’s approach to supporting families affected by violence,” explained OVW director Rosemarie Hidalgo. “These grants enhance court-related programs, trauma-informed training and resources while providing specialized legal support to victims. This includes assistance in obtaining protective orders and dealing with complex family law matters. Together, these grants advance a more comprehensive approach aimed at ensuring that survivors and their families not only navigate our legal system, but actually find a path to justice and safety.”

The need for specialized legal services is both urgent and essential for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. These services provide interventions such as the issuance of restraining orders or orders of protection that are critical to the safety of survivors.

• OVW awarded $1,350,000 to the Northern District of Georgia through the Legal Assistance for Victims (LAV) program. The LAV program addresses the legal needs of survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence and stalking.

• OVW awarded $400,000 to the Northern District of Georgia as part of the Expanding Legal Services Initiative (ELSI). ELSI, operating under the LAV program, supports the development of new legal services programs.

• OVW awarded $700,000 to the Northern District of Georgia through the Justice for Families (JFF) program. The JFF program aims to improve the ability of communities and courts to respond to families affected by violence.

OVW is taking a leadership role in developing the country’s ability to reduce violence through the implementation of VAWA and subsequent legislation. Founded in 1995, OVW administers financial and technical assistance nationwide to communities developing programs, policies and practices to end domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking. In addition to monitoring federal grant programs, OVW takes initiatives in response to unique needs of communities facing acute challenges. Learn more at www.justice.gov/ovw.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office conducts training for local law enforcement officers on federal domestic violence issues, including through the Georgia Law Enforcement Executive Development Seminar (FBI GA LEEDS). Our office has implemented two case referral programs with the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office and the DeKalb County District Attorney’s Office. Through these strategic enforcement initiatives, we aim to identify and prosecute the most serious perpetrators of domestic violence – including perpetrators who use and possess firearms, which significantly increases the risk of serious injury or death to the victim.

For further information, please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office of Public Affairs at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.