INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana Criminal Justice Institute recently awarded more than $3 million in STOP Violence Against Women Formula Grants to 53 projects across Indiana. The goal of the program is to encourage partnerships between police, prosecution, courts, and victim-serving organizations to enhance victim safety and hold offenders accountable in cases of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual abuse, and stalking.
Grants were awarded to the Hancock County Prosecutor’s Office that will assist in collection of evidence and preparation and prosecution of the crimes. Part of the funding will go to public awareness programs to help erase the stigma of reporting these crimes.
The Marion County Prosecutor’s Office and the Marion County Sheriff’s Department were also awarded grants. The Prosecutor’s Office funding will be used to address juvenile dating/intimate partner violence and non-stranger sexual assault through various programs. The Sheriff’s Department funds will be used to support the Behavioral Management Sexual Assault Division, which provides services to incarcerated survivors of sexual assault and human trafficking.