Lawmakers announce $399,921 grant to fight domestic violence

— U.S. Sens. Blanche Lincoln and Mark Pryor and U.S. Rep. John Boozman announced Tuesday that Benton County will get $399,921 to fight domestic violence.

The funds are allocated through the Safe Havens: Supervised Visitation and Safe Exchange Grant Program, which is authorized through the Department of Justice's Office on Violence Against Women, the lawmakers said in a press release.

The program provides an opportunity for communities to support the supervised visitation and safe exchange of children insituations involving domestic violence, dating violence, child abuse, sexual assault or stalking, according to a U.S. Department of Justice Web site.

Studies show the risk of violence is often greater for victims of domestic violence and their children after separation from an abusive situation. Even after separation, batterers oftenuse visitation and exchange of children as a chance to inflict additional emotional, physical, and/or psychological abuse on victims and their children, the Web site states.

Benton County will use the funds to develop and implement supervised visitation and safe exchanges of children between parents in situations involving domestic violence, dating violence, child abuse, sexual assault, and/or stalking, the lawmakers' press release states.

Other partners on the project are the Arkansas Visitation and Exchange Center Inc., the Northwest Arkansas Women's Shelter, the Peace at Home Family Shelter and Benton County Circuit Court, the release states.

News, Pages 5 on 09/25/2009

Upcoming Events