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JUSTICE DEPARTMENT AWARDS MEMPHIS AREA LEGAL SERVICES
$314,405 TO PROVIDE LEGAL SERVICES TO WOMEN
MEMPHIS,
TN
- Attorney General John Ashcroft announced today that the Justice
Department is awarding the Memphis Area Legal Services (MALS) $314,405 to
provide legal services to victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and/or
stalking.? The Legal Assistance for Victims
Grant Program is funded under the Violence Against Women Act and supports
projects that provide comprehensive legal services through direct
representation and victim advocacy, which enhances victims? safety and
strengthens economic autonomy.
?This
funding promotes partnerships among all components of the legal system to
assist victims of? domestic violence,
sexual assault, and stalking. These resources are vitally important to meet the
needs of victims and to hold offenders accountable,? said Attorney General
Ashcroft.? The MALS,
in partnership with the
YWCA?s Abused Women?s Services and the University of Memphis School of
Law,? uses staff attorneys, pro bono
lawyers and court-certified Legal Clinic students to provide a full range of
legal representation.? ?????
Memphis
Area Legal Services is using funds to:
?
Provide social services
and civil legal assistance to victims of domestic violence, sexual abuse and
stalking;
?
Strengthen the
participation of, and increase the number of cases referred to pro bono
attorneys;
?
Strengthen the
counseling, referral and advocacy services provided at the YWCA;
and
?
Continue year-round
instruction at the Domestic Violence Legal Clinic.
In
addition, MALS will continue to coordinate a community response between victim
advocacy services and legal services and increase the visibility of the project
for easy recognition within the community.
? ????????? The Legal
Assistance for Victims Grant Program began as a set-aside from the STOP
(Services, Training, Officers
and Prosecutors) Violence Against Women Formula Grants Program and was created
in the Violence Against Women Act of 2000.
The grants are awarded by the Office of Justice Programs? Violence
Against Women Office (VAWO).
For
information about the MALS grant, contact Harrison D. McIver with the Memphis
Area Legal Services, at 901/523-8822.
Information about this and other initiatives involving violence against
women is available on VAWO?s Website at http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/vawo
or OJP?s Website at http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/, or by
calling the National Criminal Justice Reference Service toll-free at
1-800/851-3420.
###
After hours contact: Angela
Harless on 202/616-3266 or pager #888/763-8943
01-409