PROVIDENCE, RI (September 28, 2007). U.S. Senator Jack Reed and Congressman Patrick Kennedy are
pleased to announce the awarding of a $320, 972 grant from the Office of Violence Against Women (OVW) supporting, over three years, the development and implementation of a statewide program to provide
enhanced training and services to end violence against and abuse of women later in life.
The grant was awarded to Day One, the sexual assault and trauma resource center, and includes partners
the RI Department of the Attorney General, the Rhode Island Department of Elderly Affairs, the RI Police Chiefs Association, and the RI Coalition Against Domestic Violence.
"Too often, older women and senior citizens are targeted by criminals. We need to do more to protect our older citizens from abuse and violent crime," said Reed. "With this initiative, state agencies and
organizations can come together to develop and implement a strategic plan that will help curb violence against seniors. I commend Day One for their efforts to enhance protections for older women from
domestic violence and sexual assault."
"The needs of older woman who are victims of violence are different than those of other age groups," said
Congressman Kennedy. "They are very often the caregiver of an extended family and feel a tremendous responsibility to remain quiet, even while the abuse may threaten their personal safety. I am grateful this
grant will allow the staff at Day One, who has the expertise and the compassion to implement a comprehensive program, to reach out to this population with services."
The new grant will help these organizations work together with other community and state agencies to develop a statewide systemic response to women later in life who are victims of sexual abuse and
violence. This project will provide training opportunities to law enforcement officers, prosecutors, and other criminal justice professionals.
In addition, a multidisciplinary team approach to handling cases of elder abuse will be developed. The result will be a coordinated response to cases of elder abuse and ultimately stronger cases for prosecution.
"Through this grant, we will develop, for the state of Rhode Island, an effective model for dealing with crimes of violence and abuse against women later in life," says Day One Executive Director Peg
Langhammer. "Our goal is to bring together all of the key players to create a seamless approach for handling these types of cases that best supports the needs of victims while ensuring successful prosecution of offenders."
Estimates reveal that between 2001 and 2005, 1,359 incidents of domestic violence involving victims age sixty and older were reported to Rhode Island police. These data demonstrate the urgent need in Rhode
Island for training for law enforcement on responding to these crimes and enhanced coordination between the police and agencies serving elder victims.
In 2004, Day One received funding through OVW's Training to Stop Abuse and Sexual Assault Against Older Individuals and Individuals with Disabilities program to develop and implement training for law enforcement,
prosecutors, and other criminal justice professionals. This new project builds on the success of that work.
About Day One
Day One's mission is to reduce the prevalence of sexual abuse and violence, and to support and advocate for those affected by it. For more than 30 years, Day One has been on the forefront of efforts to end
sexual violence in R.I. Established in 1973 as the R.I. Rape Crisis Center, Day One is the only agency in R.I. organized specifically to deal with issues of sexual assault as a community concern. For more
information, visit
