Jonathan F Lenzner, Grant Fraud, Maryland 2024

Acting U.S. Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner today announced $1,827,899 in U.S. grants to address violence against women in Maryland. The Legal Assistance for Victims (LAV) Program of the Office on Violence Against Women is awarding nearly $36 million in victim legal assistance funding to organizations across the country.

These grants will be used to provide long term legal services to victims and survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence in areas such as family law, housing, and employment. This will enable these victims and survivors to achieve lasting safety and economic independence for themselves and their families.

The Legal Assistance for Victims (LAV) Program is intended to increase the availability of civil and criminal legal assistance needed to effectively aid adult and youth victims of sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking by providing funds for comprehensive direct legal services to victims in legal matters relating to or arising out of that abuse or violence.

The following organizations in Maryland received funding:

Heartly House in Frederick, Maryland received $427,999 to hire an attorney for long term legal services for victims and survivors of intimate partner violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and child abuse.

House of Ruth in Baltimore, Maryland received $600,000 in order to provide free legal representation to low-income, high-risk victims of domestic violence in family law cases in order to help those victims achieve lasting safety, and economic independence.

The Maryland Coalition Against Sexual Assault (MCASA) in Silver Spring, Maryland received $800,000 to provide holistic legal representation to survivors/victims of sexual assault in civil and criminal matters resulting from the sexual assault, with a focus beyond intimate partner sexual assault.

The Office on Violence Against Women provides federal leadership in developing the national capacity to reduce violence against women and administer justice for and strengthen services to victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking.

For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

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