Texas Advocacy Project Awarded a LASSA Grant The Texas Access to Justice Foundation Awards $165,496 to Texas Advocacy Project to Assist Sexual Assault Survivors
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he Texas Advocacy Project (the Project) has received $165,496 in funding as one of eight agencies awarded a Legal Aid for Survivors of Sexual Assault (LASSA) grant from the Texas Access to Justice Foundation. The funding for these grants was obtained through a state tax levied on certain types of sexually-oriented businesses. With this funding, the Project will continue delivering legal services to low-income sexual assault survivors referred by collaborative partners including victims of intimate partner violence, as well as acquaintance and stranger sexual assault. Family law services include advice and counsel through the Project’s legal lines, aid with protective orders including Magistrate’s Order of Emergency Protection (MOEP), oversight in pro se matters, direct representation, and impact litigation. In addition to family law services, attorneys at the Project will provide holistic legal remedies that are identified as primary needs of survivors, such as safety, privacy, employment, housing, immigration, and education. Finally, funding allows the Project to participate in targeted outreach and training to college and university students, faculty, campus law enforcement, and others on the legal rights of victims of sexual assault, leveraging its experience with youth and education law to benefit that especially vulnerable population. As one of the eight grantees, Texas Advocacy Project will be a direct referral of the LASSA Hotline, 1.844.303.SAFE, hosted by the Texas Legal Services Center. “Whether someone experiences a sexual assault as part of intimate partner violence or from an acquaintance or stranger, the effects can be devastating. Victims of sexual assault end up navigating a complex legal system when seeking justice. Protective orders are one of the most immediate and successful forms of legal relief that the civil court system can offer victims of these crimes. In addition to safety protections, survivors often need information about available federal protections created under Violence 16
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Against Women Act. For example, a sexual assault survivor may need housing remedies such as access to crime victim’s compensation, eviction protection or assistance with a lease termination,” said Heather Bellino, the Project’s executive director. Texas Advocacy Project was established in 1982 with the mission to provide free legal services, and access to the justice system, to
victims of domestic and dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking throughout the state of Texas. Texas Advocacy Project’s services affect the lives of thousands of Texans each year. The organization’s vision is that no child in Texas should ever ting cases that affect how the justice have to see one parent harm the system functions in Texas. If you or other. In 2015, the Project provided someone you know needs help, call legal services in 5,560 cases, servtheLAWYER Project’s Legal Line at 800.374. ing 13,430 Texans. The Project’s AUSTIN HOPE. attorneys often argue precedent-setAL AL
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