NextStep receives federal funding for legal assistance to victims of domestic violence

ELLSWORTH – NextStep Domestic Violence Project will receive $600,000 in federal funding from the Legal Assistance for Victims (LAV) Program of the Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women. Nationally, the LAV Program is awarding nearly $36 million in victim legal assistance funding to organization across the country.

“This grant enables us to maintain two full-time attorney positions, providing civil legal consultation and representation to hundreds of survivors each year. Although we don’t have the capacity to take every case—the need is enormous—we do help a lot of people achieve greater safety and financial stability as they deal with the consequences of abusers’ actions. Again and again, people who have used these services say, ‘I could not have gotten through this without you.’ The Legal Assistance for Victims grant program is what makes that possible,” said Dorathy Martel, Executive Director.

The LAV Program is intended to increase the availability of civil and criminal legal assistance needed to effectively aid adult and youth victims of sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking by providing funds for comprehensive direct legal services to victims in legal matters relating to or arising out of that abuse or violence.

The Office on Violence Against Women provides federal leadership in developing the national capacity to reduce violence against women and administer justice for and strengthen services to victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking.