Justice Department Awards $10.5 Million in Grants to New Mexican Tribes and Organizations for Domestic Violence Prevention

ALBUQUERQUE – During Domestic Violence Awareness Month, the Justice Department announced that it awarded 17 grants totaling $10.5 million to two Tribal governments and 15 organizations in the District of New Mexico through its Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) and Office for Victims of Crime (OVC). The grants were made possible through authorization under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) and the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA).

The Department awarded 496 grants totaling more than $251.1 million to bolster coordinated community responses aimed at bringing an end to domestic violence, as well as sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking. The grants will reach communities across the United States, including Tribal nations, historically marginalized communities, underserved communities, college and university campuses, rural towns, and more. The funding prioritizes increasing access to justice, bolstering survivor safety, holding perpetrators accountable, and offering training and technical support to professionals addressing these crimes.

Data from the most recent National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey indicate that about 41% of women and 26% of men experience contact sexual violence, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner and report an intimate partner violence-related impact during their lifetime. Domestic violence rates are even higher for American Indian and Alaska Native populations, Black individuals, people of color, people with disabilities, and LGBTQI+ individuals.

U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez joins the U.S. Department of Justice in paying tribute to victims and survivors whose bravery makes justice possible, and saluting the dedication of advocates, service providers, justice professionals, law enforcement officers, and first responders who tirelessly work to secure that justice.

“Everybody deserves to feel safe in their home,” said U.S. Attorney Uballez. “We must believe survivors when they come forward, support them when they testify against their abusers, and have systems in place to aid them in healing. The Department of Justice is proud to announce over $10.5 million in grant funds awarded to two Tribal governments and 15 other New Mexican organizations to support outreach, prevention, intervention, services, and training relating to domestic violence.”

The following New Mexican Tribal governments and organizations received federal grants to support survivors and fight domestic violence:

• Capacity Builders, Inc. and the American Indian Development Associates, LLC each received $500,000 from the OVC Developing Future Victim Specialists to Serve American Indian Victims of Crime grant.
• The Pueblo of Jemez and Santo Domingo Pueblo received $900,000 and $664,869, respectively, from the OVW Grants to Indian Tribal Governments Program grant.
• The Coalition to Stop Violence Against Native Women received $382,188 from the OVW Grants to Tribal Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Coalitions grant.
• The New Mexico Coalition of Sexual Assault Program received $950,000, the Phoenix House Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence Resource Center received $750,000, the New Mexico Immigrant Law Center received $750,000, the Tri-County Family Justice Center of Northeast New Mexico received $616,950, and the Community Against Violence, Inc. received $500,000 from the OVW Rural Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking Program grant.
• Casa Fortaleza received $495,000 from the OVW Sexual Assault Services Culturally Specific Program grant.
• La Casa received $550,000 from the OVW Transitional Housing Assistance for Victims of Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking grant.
• New Mexico Coalition Against Domestic Violence received $108,034 from the OVC State and Territorial Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence Coalitions Program grant.
• New Mexico Coalition of Sexual Assault Program received $232,584 from the OVC State and Territorial Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence Coalitions Program grant.
• New Mexico Dream Center of Albuquerque received a total of $1.8 million from the OVC Integrated Services for Minor Victims of Human Trafficking and OVC Services for Victims of Human Trafficking grant.
• New Mexico Immigrant Law Center received $800,000 from the OVC Services for Victims of Human Trafficking grant.

"We are thrilled to receive funding to support the Tribal Victim Specialist Internship (TVSI) III for a third three-year cycle,” said President Ada Pecos Melton of the American Indian Development Associates, LLC. “Through the TVSI III, we are helping to link individuals interested in working with victims living in rural or remote Tribal settings with Tribes serving as host sites. The TVSI helps Tribes build programs that attract qualified and culturally informed individuals to strengthen and grow their victim services workforce. We thank OVC for funding this project in NM and across the nation with other providers."

“Everyone has a role to play in ending gender-based violence,” added U.S. Attorney Uballez. “Every day, federal law enforcement and prosecutors work hand-in-hand with our local and tribal counterparts to protect survivors and seek justice. As a community, we owe these brave survivors support outside of the courtroom. If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence, speak out. We will be here for you.”

Organizations interested in applying for these and other grants are encouraged to visit the OVW and OVC websites for more details and application guidelines.

Immediate help for domestic violence victims is available through the National Domestic Violence Hotline (@ndvhoffiial) at 1-800-799-7233 or the Strong Hearts Native Helpline (@strongheartsdv) at 1-844-762-8483. To find additional information on local support and resources by state, visit: https://www.justice.gov/ovw/local-resources. 

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