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On March 1, 2022, BHN was awarded a $43,000 state grant by Lt. Governor Karyn Polito at the Violence Against Women Act Award ceremony in Worcester, MA. Anthia Eliot, Program Director for BHN's domestic violence department, attended the ceremony. The funds received will support a civilian police advocate.

The grant is part of nearly $3 million awarded to 37 community-based organizations, police departments and state agencies as part of the Violence Against Women Act, Services Training Officers Prosecutors Grant Program (VAWA STOP), administered by the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security’s Office of Grants and Research.

“The VAWA STOP Grant program has an important role in our Administration’s strategy to confront gender-based violence and empower domestic violence and sexual assault survivors,” Gov. Charlie Baker said in the release. “We are grateful to our partners in law enforcement, the judicial system and survivor services who work tirelessly to promote justice and provide support for survivors.”

“Every awardee has an essential role in protecting the safety and well-being of at-risk women and girls,” said Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito, chair of the Governor’s Council to Address Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence. Over the last five years, $15.3 million in VAWA funds have been granted statewide to support domestic and sexual assault survivors and their families.

The VAWA STOP Grant is a vital resource that supports various specialized and innovative projects throughout the Commonwealth. Some initiatives supported by these grant funds include:

• Services specifically devoted to preventing, identifying and responding to violent crimes against women;
• Training opportunities for judiciary, court, and probation personnel, in addition to law enforcement and survivor service providers;
• Partnerships between law enforcement and survivor service providers to provide compassionate outreach to survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence and stalking; and
• Supporting prosecutors working closely with survivor-witness advocates, probation, law enforcement and state agencies to target high-risk cases and increase offender accountability.