New Haven, CT – Congresswoman Rosa L. DeLauro (Conn. -3) announced that the State of Connecticut will receive $1.82 million through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to aid efforts to prevent violence against women. These funds will allow the state to hire and retain criminal justice and victim services personnel who respond to violent crimes against women, as well as support other strategies that create and preserve jobs and promote economic growth while improving responses to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking.

“While we have taken strides to end violence against women, there is still work to be done – in 2005 there were 20,102 reported cases of domestic violence in Connecticut, of which children were present or involved in 40 percent of those. This funding will ensure that in these tough economic times, our efforts to prevent and respond to violence against women and provide victim services are not hindered. And we will do this while creating or retaining jobs within the law enforcement community,” said DeLauro.

The Recovery Act STOP Violence Against Women Formula Grant Program supports communities in their efforts to hire and retain criminal justice and victim services personnel that respond to violent crimes against women as a way to develop and strengthen effective law enforcement, prosecution strategies, and victim services in cases involving violent crimes against women. The STOP program continues envisions a partnership among law enforcement, prosecution, courts, and victim services organization to enhance victim safety and hold offenders accountable for their crimes against women.

Each STOP grant recipient must allocate not less than 30 percent of its STOP funding to non-profit, non-governmental victim services programs – of which at least 10 percent is to be distributed to culturally specific community-based organizations – not less than 25 percent to law enforcement; not less than 25 percent to prosecution; and not less than 5 percent to courts. The remaining 15 percent may be awarded at the state’s discretion within the statutory parameters of the Violence Against Women Act.