FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE VAW WEDNESDAY, APRIL 19, 1995 (202) 616-2771 TDD (202) 514-1888 FEDERAL VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN DIRECTOR VISITS WITH NEWS OF FEDERAL GRANTS FOR MAINE Grants Would Boost Maine's Crime-Fighting Efforts Even As Congress Ponders Cuts LEWISTON AND BANGOR, MAINE -- Bonnie Campbell, Director of the Justice Department's Office of Violence Against Women, visited Maine today to announce $426,000 in federal grants for Maine, to raise awareness of violence against women and to warn of efforts in Congress to cut the crime bill's violence against women funds. Campbell announced that Maine was "just a step or two away" from qualifying for a $426,000 STOP grant (Services, Training, Officers, and Prosecution) to hire law enforcement, prosecutors and victims services personnel to address violence against women. The grants could be used to pay for crisis centers, counselors and victim's advocates, police and prosecutors to specialize in domestic violence or sexual assault, domestic violence hot-lines, or lighting for unsafe streets, parks and paths. "Because of President Clinton's leadership, the federal government will help Maine fight back against domestic violence and sexual abuse," said Campbell. "But now Congress is talking about cutting $5 billion from last year's crime bill commitment -- a cut of one-sixth. "The crime control trust fund is our bank for funding the Violence Against Women Act and we need to stand by it." Maine U.S. Attorney Jay McCloskey's anti-violent crime task force recently identified domestic violence as the state's number one violent crime priority. Campbell visited a shelter in Lewiston, attended a domestic violence "speak out" in Bangor. She also discussed strategies for fighting violence against women with state and local law leaders like Congressman John Baldacci, Public Safety Commissioner Al Skofield, and Commissioner of Corrections Joe Lehman. Today's visit is part of Campbell's first trip outside Washington since being named by Attorney General Janet Reno to direct the Violence Against Women office. ### 95- 223