Press Release

Schumer, Gillibrand Announce Over $7 Million in Recovery Act Funding For New York to Combat Violent Crimes Against Women — Will Strengthen Victim Services and Create Jobs

May 18, 2009

Washington, D.C. — United States Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten
Gillibrand today announced the United States Department of Justice’s Office on
Violence Against Women (OVW) will allocate $7,374,913 to New York State under
the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) for the STOP Violence Against
Women Formula Grant Program. The STOP Program supports communities’ 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.

“There is nothing more important than protecting women from
violent situations,” Schumer said. “This funding will go a long way in ensuring
that women, communities, and law enforcement have the necessary tools to
protect themselves and their communities from needless violence, and
that victims have the support they need to recover.”

“As a lawmaker and a mother, I will not stand for any
violence against women,” Senator Gillibrand said. “This federal investment will
put the resources we need on the ground to crack down on dangerous criminals
hurting women and families. I will work with Senator Schumer and our
Congressional Delegation to make sure New York gets its fair share from the
federal government to keep our families safe.”

The STOP Program funds efforts by communities to hire and
retain criminal justice and victim services employees that respond to violent
crimes against women. Maintaining trained personnel helps to develop and
strengthen effective law enforcement, prosecution strategies, and victim
services in cases involving violent crimes against women. To further the
purposes of the Recovery Act, OVW encourages states who receive funding to hire
and retain criminal justice and victim services personnel who respond to
violent crimes against women, as well as supporting other strategies that
create and preserve jobs and promote economic growth while improving responses
to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking.

The STOP Violence Against Women Formula Grants Program was
reauthorized and amended on January 5, 2006 by the Violence Against Women Act
of 2005 (VAWA). The STOP Program continues to encourage the development and
implementation of effective, victim-centered law enforcement, prosecution, and
court strategies to address violent crimes against women and the development
and enhancement of victim services in cases involving violent crimes against
women. It envisions a partnership among law enforcement, prosecution, courts,
and victim services organizations to enhance victim safety and hold offenders
accountable for their crimes against women.

The STOP Program is funded by the American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act of 2009. The stated purposes of the Recovery Act are to
preserve and create jobs and promote economic recovery; to assist those most
impacted by the recession; to provide investments needed to increase economic
efficiency by spurring technological advances in science and health; to invest
in transportation, environmental protection, and other infrastructure that will
provide long-term economic benefits; and to stabilize State and local
government budgets, in order to minimize and avoid reductions in essential
services and counterproductive State and local tax increases.

In compliance with VAWA 2005, each STOP grant
recipient must allocate not less than 30% of its STOP funding to nonprofit,
nongovernmental victim services programs, of which at least 10% is to be
distributed to culturally specific community-based organizations, not less than
25% to law enforcement; not less than 25% to prosecution; and not less than 5%
to courts. The remaining 15% may be awarded at the state’s discretion within
the statutory parameters.