CONGRESSMAN JOE MORELLE ANNOUNCES FEDERAL FUNDING TO HOLD VIOLENT OFFENDERS ACCOUNTABLE, SUPPORT SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

(Rochester, N.Y.)—Today, Congressman Joe Morelle announced $500,000 in federal funding from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) to support domestic violence prosecutions and survivor support services in Rochester. This funding comes as a part of OVW’s Fiscal Year 2024 Enhancing Investigation and Prosecution of Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking (EIP) Initiative.

“Domestic and dating violence are despicable. But sadly, they affect thousands of people in Rochester each year,” said Congressman Joe Morelle. “This significant federal funding will expand our ability to fully prosecute offenders and ensure survivors have access to the support they deserve. I’m grateful to Monroe County and Willow for the essential work they do, and I look forward to our continued work together to empower survivors, break the cycle, and keep our community safe.”

Monroe County Executive Adam Bello said: “In 2023 Monroe County law enforcement agencies reported 4,521 victims of Domestic Violence. Each of these reports represents real people in crisis seeking help. The funding secured by Congressman Morelle will support Monroe County and Willow Domestic Violence Center as we work to empower survivors of domestic violence and prosecute offenders.”

Meaghan de Chateauvieux, President and CEO of Willow Domestic Violence Center, said: “With this funding, our community will have more life-saving tools and resources to respond to domestic violence. Training on strangulation, which is one of the most lethal forms of domestic violence, will save lives; up to 10% of violent deaths in the U.S. can be attributable to strangulation. This is truly an investment in building safer futures for survivors and their families.”

The Office on Violence Against Women’s EIP Initiative was created in 2023 and is designed to promote, and evaluate, effective policing and prosecution responses to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. The EIP Initiative encourages law enforcement agencies and/or prosecutors’ offices to expand and improve their capacity to effectively investigate and/or prosecute domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking, and in so doing, support victim safety and autonomy, hold offenders accountable, and promote agency trust within the surrounding

community.

The U.S. DOJ’s Office of Violence Against Women, founded in 1994 by the Violence Against Women Act of 1994, offers numerous grant programs designed to develop the nation's capacity to reduce domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking by strengthening services to victims and holding offenders accountable. Learn more about their available programs here.

Congressman Morelle is a member of the House Appropriations Committee and the Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, and Science, which appropriates the budget for federal agencies like the U.S. Department of Justice. Learn more about the Appropriations Committee and their work here.

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