Funds allotted for responding to violence against women

WASILLA -- At least two programs in the Mat-Su will receive money to help prosecute and respond to violence against women, after U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft announced earlier this week that the Department of Justice has awarded Alaska $758,000 to help fund these kinds of programs. The funding is part of this year's STOP (Services, Training, Officers and Prosecutors) Violence Against Women Formula Grants Program. Nationally, more than $117 million is being awarded to states and U.S. territories.

Alaska's Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault, in Juneau, is responsible for distributing the funds to state agencies and according to their executive director, Denise Henderson, individual agencies, both governmental and nonprofit, are encouraged to apply for the grants. Henderson said this year's funds are equal to those from last year and the money will again be distributed to various agencies after a seven-member board reviews the applications. Statewide, 21 programs receive funds through the grants and Henderson noted that the Alaska Family Resource Center along with the Wasilla Police Department are two Valley agencies currently receiving grants from the program.

According to Alaska Family Resource Center Executive Director Donn Bennice, they use the money to help run their 24-hour emergency shelter, along with legal advocacy. Wasilla Police Chief Don Savage said their grant goes toward paying 75 percent of an officer position, which is dedicated to child investigation and domestic violence issues.

"I know there is dire need for this kind of funding in the Valley," said Henderson, "and I commend the Wasilla Police Department for the work they do there."

The STOP program is designed to help states and local communities restructure and strengthen their responses to domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking by encouraging them to use all the expertise of the different participants in the justice system, including law enforcement, prosecutors, judges, victim advocates and community leaders. Henderson encourages any group interested in applying for a grant, to log onto www.dps.state.ak.us/cdvsa/asp/ for more information.

Contact Joel Davidson at joel.davidson@frontiersman.com.