Agencies aiding Alabama sexual assault victims awarded $2.7M by Ivey

Calling sexual assault a “hideous and inexcusable” crime that can have a lasting emotional and psychological impact, Gov. Kay Ivey announced Thursday that she is awarding 13 grants worth a cumulative $2.7 million to various agencies throughout Alabama. The agencies receiving the funds specialize in helping victims of sexual assault find medical attention, counseling, and support.

Ivey said that she was appreciative of the various agencies efforts.

“I commend these agencies for reaching out and providing care and compassion to help victims in their critical time of need,” she said.

ADECA Director ,Kenneth Boswell, said that he agrees with the governor’s approach to the issue.

“ADECA stands with Gov. Ivey in her support of these agencies that are there at all times to provide comfort and understanding for victims, and we fully endorse the governor’s tenacity in seeing that offenders are prosecuted,” he said.

The agencies and the amount of funding they are set to receive are as follows:

• One Place of the Shoals (Florence) – $101,052 to provide services in Colbert, Franklin, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Marion and Winston counties.
• Crisis Services of North Alabama Inc. (Huntsville) – $191,432 to provide services in Jackson, Limestone, Madison and Morgan counties.
• Family Services of North Alabama (Guntersville) – $146,115 to provide services in DeKalb and Marshall counties.
• Crisis Center Inc. (Birmingham) – $426,312 to provide services in Blount, Chilton, Jefferson, St. Clair and Walker counties.
• The WellHouse (St. Clair County) – $516,377 to provide services statewide.
• Tuscaloosa Safe Center Inc. (Tuscaloosa) – $167,603 to provide services in Bibb, Fayette, Greene, Hale, Lamar, Marengo, Pickens, Sumter and Tuscaloosa counties.
• SAN (Turning Point) (Tuscaloosa) – $38,678 to provide services in Bibb, Fayette, Greene, Hale, Lamar, Marengo, Pickens, Sumter and Tuscaloosa counties.
• University of Alabama (Tuscaloosa) – $306,842 to provide services in Tuscaloosa County.
• SafeHouse of Shelby County Inc. (Pelham) – $218,971 to provide services in Chilton, Clay, Coosa and Shelby counties.
• Rape Counselors of East Alabama (Auburn) – $130,644 to provide services in Chambers, Lee, Macon, Russell and Tallapoosa counties.
• Montgomery Area Family Violence Program (Family Sunshine Center) (Montgomery) – $228,922 to provide services in Autauga, Butler, Chilton, Crenshaw, Elmore, Lowndes and Montgomery counties.
• Family Counseling Center of Mobile Inc. – $188,231 to provide services in Clarke, Mobile and Washington counties.
• Baldwin Family Violence Shelter (The Lighthouse) (Robertsdale) – $58,424 to provide services in Baldwin, Conecuh, Escambia and Monroe counties.

Austen Shipley is staff writer for Yellowhammer News.