City of Yakima Awarded more than $350,000 to Combat Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault

Yakima, Washington - Vanessa R. Waldref, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced a Department of Justice grant award for the City of Yakima. The grant allocates $353,998 to combat domestic violence. The grant was awarded on September 13, 2024.

Funding for the grant was awarded by The Office on Violence Against Women, Fiscal Year 2024 Enhancing Investigation and Prosecution of Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking Initiative. This initiative encourages law enforcement agencies and prosecutors' offices to expand and improve their capacity to effectively investigate and prosecute domestic violence, support victim safety, and hold offenders accountable.

The project description for the $353,998 grant awarded to the City of Yakima says the funds will be used by the City of Yakima, Washington, in partnership with the YWCA Yakima, to provide a victim advocate, identify high risk cases for referral to the Domestic Violence High Risk Team, provide more resources for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault, and provide training for officers and prosecutors to recognize and address bias about victims of domestic violence.

"Supporting survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault and holding individuals accountable who perpetrate this violence is critical to building safer and strong communities. This award demonstrates the Department of Justice's commitment to working with law enforcement and community partners to fund critical services to assist sexual assault survivors, protect victims of crime, amplify their voices, and to seek justice on behalf of all citizens in Eastern Washington," said U.S. Attorney Waldref.

"The City of Yakima Prosecution Division is excited for the opportunity to enhance domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking prosecution efforts, including victim advocacy services through our partnership with YWCA Yakima, and supported by the grant resources provided by the Office on Violence Against Women," said City Prosecutor Cynthia Martinez. "The Prosecution Division, Yakima Law Enforcement, and our community partners, including the YWCA Yakima, are committed to holding offenders accountable, supporting victims and their children in their efforts to remain safe, and eliminating bias at all levels in the City of Yakima criminal justice system. The Prosecution Division welcomes this opportunity to expand and improve our current service delivery for the City of Yakima."

Additional information about grants and funding through the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs is available at https://www.ojp.gov. Information regarding the Department of Justice's Office on Violence against Women is available at https://www.justice.gov/ovw.