Slaughter Secures $197,329 from Bureau of Justice for Niagara Sexual Assault Support Organization

Washington, DC - Rep. Louise M. Slaughter (D-Fairport), Ranking Member of the House Rules Committee, is pleased to announce that she has secured $197,329 from the Bureau of Justice to help fund the work of the "It Happened to Alexa Foundation." The Foundation provides support services to victims of rape and sexual assault, as well as to their parents or guardians.

"The victims of sexual assault and the friends and family members who support them have been forced to endure a trauma most of us find hard to imagine," Rep. Slaughter said. "They deserve every bit of support our community can provide to help them with their struggle," she added. "The Alexa Foundation is one of our most valuable assets in this fight, and I'm so glad that its work is being recognized and supported."

The Foundation will use the money to hire a full-time program coordinator responsible for operations and outreach to targeted constituencies. Special focus will be given to work with victims, district attorneys, victims advocates, and the family members of victims. The funds will also help educational materials related to sexual assault to be designed, produced, and distributed. Furthermore, the Foundation looks forward to providing travel arrangement to victims and their parents or guardians when such trips are necessary but cannot be provided by the jurisdiction where a violent crime occurred.

The funding was made available through the Edward Byrne Memorial State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance Discretionary Grants Program.