Grant to help sexual violence survivors
Low-income survivors of sexual violence in Idaho now have more financial resources available to help them navigate the judicial system.
Idaho Legal Aid Services announced Wednesday the agency received a $466,000 three-year grant from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women.
The money will be used to support the Stopping Violence, Changing Lives project which will create a statewide safety net for low-income survivors of sexual violence who need civil legal help but cannot afford it.
“While defendants in criminal cases have a constitutional right to legal representation, the same cannot be said for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking,” said the legal aid office’s announcement. “Survivors of these crimes who struggle with poverty are often forced to navigate the legal system on their own, often with terrible results. Idaho Legal Aid Services is thrilled to have received funding that will help more victims of violence in Idaho receive legal support when their most basic human needs are at stake.”
The federal funding will be split among Idaho’s seven legal aid services offices. The Coeur d’Alene office, which serves the five northern counties, will receive $66,571.
“Common issues that victims face include things like child custody disputes that can keep them from leaving, housing issues like eviction due to domestic violence, as well as a variety of legal services for sexual assault survivors,” said Katie Coker, director of Safe Passage, a Coeur d’Alene-based center offering shelter and other services to domestic violence victims in North Idaho.
Idaho Legal Aid Services will collaborate with crisis centers, the Idaho Volunteer Lawyers Program, and the Idaho Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence to ensure survivors across the state receive the legal assistance. All project services will be provided at no cost.
Highlighting the need for funding for these services, the state legal aid office provided some statistics from state agencies.
The Idaho Supreme Court reported in 2015, there were 4,706 civil protection orders filed due to domestic violence or sexual assault.
According to the Idaho State Police, between 2008 and 2013, there were 32,761 domestic violence-related charges filed statewide, and one in four homicides during that time were committed by intimate partners.
Potential clients for civil legal services through the Stopping Violence, Changing Lives project can get assistance by contacting Idaho Legal Aid — by calling the local office at 667-9559 or by calling the Domestic Violence Advice Line at 1-877-500-2980 — or by contacting a local domestic violence shelter. The 24-hour number for Safe Passage in North Idaho is 208-664-9303.