FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                         VAW
THURSDAY, APRIL 20, 1995                           (202) 514-2008
                                               TDD (202) 514-1888

          FEDERAL VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN DIRECTOR VISITS
             WITH NEWS OF FEDERAL GRANTS FOR VERMONT 

Grants Will Boost Vermont's Efforts Even As Congress Ponders Cuts

     BURLINGTON & MONTPELIER, VERMONT -- Bonnie Campbell, Director
of the Justice Department's Office of Violence Against Women,
visited Vermont today to announce $426,000 in federal grants for
Vermont, raise awareness of violence against women and warn of
efforts in Congress to cut the crime bill's violence against women
funds.
     Campbell received paperwork from Governor Dean today that
leaves the state "just a step away" from qualifying for a $426,000
STOP grant (Services, Training, Officers, and Prosecution) to hire
law enforcement, prosecutors and victims services that 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 streets, parks and paths.
     "Because of President Clinton's leadership, the federal
government will help Vermont fight back against domestic violence
and sexual abuse," said Campbell.  "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 can't stand by and let anyone
rob that bank."
     The grant amount represents twice the amount Vermont now
spends to fight domestic violence, though the grant also provides
assistance to fight sexual assaults.
     In Burlington, Campbell and State Attorney general Jeff
Amestoy visited the Chittenden Unit for Special Investigations --
which specializes in fighting sexual assaults -- as well as the
local Rape Crisis Center.  In Montpelier, she met with Governor
Dean and a subcommittee of the Vermont federal crime bill
coordinating committee.
     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.  Earlier this week, she
visited Rhode Island and Maine.

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