### §20124. Enhancing culturally specific services for victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking

#### (a) Establishment

#### (1) In general

Of the amounts appropriated under certain grant programs identified in paragraph (2), the Attorney General, through the Director of the Office on Violence Against Women (referred to in this section as the "Director"), shall take 15 percent of such appropriated amounts for the program under paragraph (2)(A) and 5 percent of such appropriated amounts for the programs under subparagraphs (B) through (E) of paragraph (2) and combine them to establish a new grant program to enhance culturally specific services for victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. Grants made under this new program shall be administered by the Director. The requirements of the grant programs identified in paragraph (2) shall not apply to this new grant program.

#### (2) Programs covered

The programs covered by paragraph (1) are the programs carried out under the following provisions:

(A) Section 10461 of this title (Grants to Encourage Arrest Policies and Enforcement of Protection Orders).

(B) Section 20121 of this title 1 (Legal Assistance for Victims).

(C) Section 12341 of this title (Rural Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, Stalking, and Child Abuse Enforcement Assistance).

(D) Section 14041a of title 42 (Enhanced Training and Services to End Violence Against Women Later in Life).1

(E) Section 20122 of this title (Education, Training, and Enhanced Services to End Violence Against and Abuse of Women with Disabilities).

#### (3) Additional authorization of appropriations

In addition to the amounts made available under paragraph (1), there are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $25,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2023 through 2027.

#### (4) Distribution

#### (A) In general

Of the total amount available for grants under this section, not less than 40 percent of such funds shall be allocated for programs or projects that meaningfully address non-intimate partner relationship sexual assault.

#### (B) Alternative allocation

Notwithstanding 12291(b)(11) 2 of this title, the Director may allocate a portion of funds described in subparagraph (A) to enhanced technical assistance relating to non-intimate partner sexual assault if the Office on Violence Against Women does not receive sufficient qualified applications proposing to address non-intimate partner relationship sexual assault.

#### (b) Purpose of program and grants

#### (1) General program purpose

The purpose of the program required by this section is to promote:

(A) The maintenance and replication of existing successful services in domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking community-based programs providing culturally specific services and other resources.

(B) The development of innovative culturally specific strategies and projects to enhance access to services and resources for victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking who face obstacles to using more traditional services and resources.

#### (2) Purposes for which grants may be used

The Director shall make grants to community-based programs for the purpose of enhancing culturally specific services for victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. Grants under the program shall support community-based efforts to address distinctive cultural responses to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking, including—

(A) working with State and local governments and social service agencies to develop and enhance effective strategies to provide culturally specific services to victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking;

(B) increasing communities' capacity to provide culturally specific resources and support for victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking crimes and their families;

(C) strengthening criminal justice interventions, by providing training for law enforcement, prosecution, courts, probation, and correctional facilities on culturally specific responses to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking;

(D) enhancing traditional services to victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking through the leadership of culturally specific programs offering services to victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking;

(E) working in cooperation with the community to develop education and prevention strategies highlighting culturally specific issues and resources regarding victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking;

(F) providing culturally specific programs for children exposed to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking;

(G) providing culturally specific resources and services that address the safety, economic, housing, and workplace needs of victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking, including emergency assistance; or

(H) examining the dynamics of culture and its impact on victimization and healing.

#### (3) Technical assistance and training

The Director shall provide technical assistance and training to grantees of this and other programs under this Act regarding the development and provision of effective culturally specific community-based services by entering into cooperative agreements or contracts with an organization or organizations having a demonstrated expertise in and whose primary purpose is addressing the development and provision of culturally specific community-based services to victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. Not less than 1 such organization shall have demonstrated expertise primarily in domestic violence services, and not less than 1 such organization shall have demonstrated expertise primarily in non-intimate partner sexual assault services.

#### (c) Eligible entities

Eligible entities for grants under this Section 3 include—

(1) community-based programs whose primary purpose is providing culturally specific services to victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking; and

(2) community-based programs whose primary purpose is providing culturally specific services who can partner with a program having demonstrated expertise in serving victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking.

#### (d) Reporting

The Director shall issue a biennial report on the distribution of funding under this section, the progress made in replicating and supporting increased services to victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking who face obstacles to using more traditional services and resources, and the types of culturally accessible programs, strategies, technical assistance, and training developed or enhanced through this program.

#### (e) Evaluation

The Director shall award a contract or cooperative agreement to evaluate programs under this section to an entity with the demonstrated expertise in and primary goal of providing enhanced cultural access to services and resources for victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking who face obstacles to using more traditional services and resources.

#### (f) Non-exclusivity

Nothing in this Section 3 shall be interpreted to exclude culturally specific community-based programs from applying to other grant programs authorized under this Act.

#### (g) Definitions and grant conditions

In this section the definitions and grant conditions in section 12291 of this title shall apply.

(Pub. L. 109–162, title I, §121, Jan. 5, 2006, 119 Stat. 2991; Pub. L. 109–271, §§1(c)(3), 2(k), Aug. 12, 2006, 120 Stat. 751, 753; Pub. L. 113–4, title I, §109, Mar. 7, 2013, 127 Stat. 80; Pub. L. 117–103, div. W, title I, §108, title IX, §901(e), Mar. 15, 2022, 136 Stat. 852, 911.)

#### **Editorial Notes**

#### References in Text

Section 20121 of this title, referred to in subsec. (a)(2)(B), was in the original "Section 14201 of division B of the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000 (42 U.S.C. 3796gg–6)", which was translated as meaning "Section 1201 of division B of the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000 (42 U.S.C. 3796gg–6)", which is section 1201 of title II of div. B of Pub. L. 106–386, to reflect the probable intent of Congress. Section 1201 of title II of div. B of Pub. L. 106–386 was classified as section 3796gg–6 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare, prior to editorial reclassification and renumbering as section 20121 of this title.

The parenthetical reference "(Enhanced Training and Services to End Violence Against Women Later in Life)" appearing after "Section 14041a of title 42" in subsec. (a)(2)(D), probably should be "(Enhanced Training and Services to End Violence Against and Abuse of Women Later in Life)". Section 14041a of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare, was omitted in the general amendment of Part G of subchapter III of chapter 136 of Title 42 by Pub. L. 113–4, title II, §204(a), Mar. 7, 2013, 127 Stat. 82.

This Act, referred to in subsecs. (b)(3) and (f), is Pub. L. 109–162, Jan. 5, 2006, 119 Stat. 2960, known as the Violence Against Women and Department of Justice Reauthorization Act of 2005. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title of 2006 Act note set out under section 10101 of this title and Tables.

#### Codification

Section was formerly classified to section 14045a of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare, prior to editorial reclassification and renumbering as this section.

#### Amendments

2022—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 117–103, §901(e), substituted "the Office on Violence Against Women" for "the Violence Against Women Office".

Pub. L. 117–103, §108(1)(A)(ii), substituted "shall take 15 percent of such appropriated amounts for the program under paragraph (2)(A) and 5 percent of such appropriated amounts for the programs under subparagraphs (B) through (E) of paragraph (2)" for "shall take 5 percent of such appropriated amounts".

Pub. L. 117–103, §108(1)(A)(i), which directed substitution of "paragraph (2)" for "paragraph (a)(2) of this subsection", was executed by making the substitution for "paragraph (a)(2) of this Section", to reflect the probable intent of Congress.

Subsec. (a)(3), (4). Pub. L. 117–103, §108(1)(B), added pars. (3) and (4).

Subsec. (b)(3). Pub. L. 117–103, §108(2), inserted at end "Not less than 1 such organization shall have demonstrated expertise primarily in domestic violence services, and not less than 1 such organization shall have demonstrated expertise primarily in non-intimate partner sexual assault services."

Subsecs. (e) to (h). Pub. L. 117–103, §108(3), (4), redesignated subsecs. (f) to (h) as (e) to (g), respectively, and struck out former subsec. (e). Prior to amendment, text of subsec. (e) read as follows: "The Director shall award grants for a 2-year period, with a possible extension of another 2 years to implement projects under the grant."

2013—Pub. L. 113–4, §109(1)–(3), struck out "and linguistically" after "culturally" in section catchline and wherever appearing in text and struck out "and linguistic" after "cultural" in subsecs. (b)(2) and (f).

Subsec. (a)(2). Pub. L. 113–4, §109(4), added par. (2) and struck out former par. (2) which related to covered programs.

Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 113–4, §109(5), struck out "linguistic and" before "culturally".

2006—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 109–271, §2(k)(1), inserted "The requirements of the grant programs identified in paragraph (2) shall not apply to this new grant program." at end.

Subsec. (b)(2). Pub. L. 109–271, §2(k)(2), which directed substituting ", including—" and subpars. (A) to (H) for the period, was executed by making the substitution for the period at the end to reflect the probable intent of Congress.

Subsec. (h). Pub. L. 109–271, §1(c)(3), added subsec. (h).

#### **Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries**

#### Effective Date of 2022 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 117–103 not effective until Oct. 1 of the first fiscal year beginning after Mar. 15, 2022, see section 4(a) of div. W of Pub. L. 117–103, set out as an Effective Date note under section 6851 of Title 15, Commerce and Trade.

#### Effective Date of 2013 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 113–4 not effective until the beginning of the fiscal year following Mar. 7, 2013, see section 4 of Pub. L. 113–4, set out as a note under section 2261 of Title 18, Crimes and Criminal Procedure.

#### Effective Date

Section not effective until the beginning of fiscal year 2007, see section 4 of Pub. L. 109–162, set out as an Effective Date of 2006 Amendment note under section 10261 of this title.

1 See References in Text note below.

2 So in original. Probably should be preceded by "section".

3 So in original. Probably should not be capitalized.