Attorney General Ken Paxton awarded over $35 million in grant funds to nonprofit organizations and local governments across Texas to assist victims of sexual assault, domestic violence, and human trafficking.
“Achieving justice for Texans who have been victims of senseless acts of crime is a sacred responsibility,” said Attorney General Paxton. “At every opportunity, I have fought for the vital state funding that serves crime victims whose experiences forever changed their lives and the lives of those they love. I am proud that these grant funds directly assist victims of crime through counseling services, advocacy, legal assistance, and other vital resources to promote healing.”
These vital grant resources provide local domestic violence shelters, rape crisis centers, and local government entities with funding for personnel, training, and more. These funds improve victims’ access to crisis intervention services and numerous other resources.
The Office of the Attorney General (“OAG”) provides funding for the following grant programs, among others, to serve crime victims:
- Sexual Assault Prevention and Crisis Services
- $14,784,798 in state grants to 74 rape crisis centers
- $608,448 in federal grants to 10 rape crisis centers
- Victim Coordinator and Liaison Grants
- $2,312,850 in grant funds to 49 district attorney and law enforcement offices for personnel to advocate for crime victims
- Other Victim Assistance Grants
- $10,000,000 in state grants to nonprofits who provide for the unmet needs of crime victims not covered by other OAG grant programs
- Texas Statewide Automated Victim Notification Service (SAVNS) grants
- $2,611,320.76 in grants to 150 counties across Texas for 24-hour victim information and notification about offender court dates, parole hearings, and prison transfers
- Crime Victim Civil Legal Services Grant
- $2.5 million dollars to the Supreme Court of Texas to increase the availability of free or affordable civil legal services for victims of crime