Lt. Governor Brown, Baltimore City Council President Rawlings-Blake Announce Domestic Violence Grants

 

BALTIMORE, Md. (October 19, 2009) – At a press conference today in Baltimore City, Lt. Governor Anthony G. Brown announced grants awarded through the Governor’s Office of Crime Control and Prevention (GOCCP) that will be used to prevent domestic violence and provide support for victims, including $400,000 for the Safe Haven Visitation Center Project in Baltimore City. Brown was joined at the House of Ruth by Baltimore City Council President Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, Delegate Barbara A. Robinson, House of Ruth Executive Director Carole Alexander, Director of the Mayor’s Office on Criminal Justice Sheryl Goldstein, Governor’s Family Violence Council Co-Chair Cheryl Kravitz, Gat Meredith, a victim of domestic violence, and House of Ruth employees.

“Domestic violence has touched too many Maryland families. Governor O’Malley and I – along with advocates, lawmakers and community leaders – are committed to fight back and end violence against women. I’m proud to announce a series of state and federal grants, including $400,000 for the Safe Haven Visitation Center, that will help us take a vital step toward our goal of reducing violence against women and protecting public safety,” Lt. Governor Brown said. “New money and new laws, though, are not enough on their own. I encourage all Marylanders to honor Domestic Violence Awareness Month. If you are being abused, if you fear you may become a victim or if you struggle bouts of anger and fear you may physically or emotionally abuse a loved one, there are men and women across the State who are standing by to provide help. We can end domestic violence in Maryland if we commit ourselves to raising awareness about the preventative services that are available throughout Maryland.”

Last month, GOCCP and Baltimore City’s Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice received a $400,000 federal grant to help develop the Safe Haven Visitation Center Project, a pilot supervised visitation center where families involved in domestic violence can have supervised visits with their children or meet in a safe setting to exchange children from one part to another. This pilot program will be located in Baltimore City because it has the highest volume of domestic violence complaints in Maryland.

“Once again, the O’Malley-Brown administration is working to prevent domestic violence and providing much needed support for victims of domestic abuse in Baltimore City,” said City Council President Stephanie Rawlings-Blake. “Lt. Governor Brown has done a great job leading the charge on this issue by working diligently with state legislators, local governments and community partners to end the silent pain and suffering of domestic violence in Maryland.”

Since 2007, GOCCP has distributed nearly $9 million of grants through both state and federal funds for initiatives designed to prevent domestic violence or provide services for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. Through the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) Recovery and Reinvestment Act (VARA) Grant Program, GOCCP has awarded 45 grants totaling approximately $2.3 million, including:

• $72,000 for the House of Ruth’s Mujeres Sanas project;
• $11,000 for Sinai Hospital’s crisis intervention project;
• $33,000 for Advocates for Survivors of Torture and Trauma’s new direct services program;
• $45,000 for Baltimore City State’s Attorney Office to enhance their domestic violence response team;
• And over $91,000 for Baltimore City’s Lethality Assessment Project.

“As an adult survivor of child abuse, I understand the emotional scars, the fear, and the hopelessness that children who are caught up in such situations endure. The mental scars never go away. We need laws to protect women from domestic violence but we also must provide help for the children living in violent situations. I applaud the Governor’s office for realizing the need to address this important matter. I also applaud Lt. Governor Brown for realizing the importance of addressing domestic violence, openly taking a stand against domestic violence, and for being recognized as a trailblazer for laws to protect the victims of domestic violence,” said Delegate Barbara A. Robinson.

In 2008, 75 individuals died in Maryland as a result of domestic violence, up from 52 individuals in 2007. Of those 75 individuals who lost their lives last year, 42 were killed by a firearm. In the continuing effort to put an end to these tragedies, Brown led the efforts to pass two bills during the 2009 legislative session that increase protection for Maryland’s victims of domestic violence and remove guns from the hands of abusers. The new legislation went into effect October 1.

Lt. Governor Brown is honoring Domestic Violence Awareness Month with a series of events across the State aimed to promote public awareness of domestic violence, enhance efforts to prevent abuse and educate Marylanders on the issue.

Last summer, Brown’s cousin Cathy was shot and killed in Montgomery Village by her estranged boyfriend.

View more photos from this event.

 

---

Additional Press Releases