News Release

Sept. 27, 2006

Federal Grant to Strengthen Idaho's Response to End Violence Against Women with Disabilities

The U.S. Department of Justice has awarded a $750,000 grant to the Boise State University Gender Studies Program, the State Independent Living Council and the Idaho Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence. The team will develop and implement innovative approaches to ending violence against women with disabilities in Idaho.

According to a statewide assessment conducted in 2005 by Boise State for the State Independent Living Council, 44 percent of Idaho households have at least one member with some form of disability. At least 60 percent, or 92,400, of Idahoans with disabilities are female. Idaho’s service providers, both from disability and domestic abuse service organizations, report both a high occurrence rate of abuse and difficulties serving women with mental, physical and/or emotional disabilities.

“Statistics report very high levels of abuse among people with disabilities, and as such, the obstacles that prevent victims of domestic violence or sexual assault with disabilities from receiving appropriate services should be eliminated.” said Kelly Buckland, SILC executive director.

The U.S. Department of Justice Office on Violence against Women awarded the three-year grant to design and implement program strategies to remedy current inadequacies in the provision of victim services. Boise State, SLIC and ICASDV will educate and train service providers working in law enforcement, health care, shelters, counseling and the legal system.

According to Lisa McClain, director of the Boise State Gender Studies Program, since the 1980s the three partners collaborated with one another on a variety of state and local projects related to issues of disability, domestic violence and women. “Idaho is a diverse state,” she said. “One of the strengths of this partnership — one of the main reasons the DOJ awarded a grant of this size to Idahoans — is the broad base of knowledge, expertise, and preexisting alliances that all three lead partners bring to the table. We now have the resources to begin to tackle this challenge on a statewide scale.”

“While many of Idaho’s domestic violence and sexual assault victim services programs have made great strides in providing services to victims, we have not done enough for victims with disabilities,” said Sue Fellen, executive director for the Idaho Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence. “The Idaho Coalition is committed to forging the partnerships and building alliances with the State Independent Living Council and other disability service providers and advocacy organizations to problem-solve to make accessible and available victim service programs in Idaho a reality.”

“The Idaho State Independent Living Council bears the primary responsibility for developing the State Plan for Independent Living,” said U.S. Sen. Mike Crapo. “SILC’s mission of advocating for equal opportunity, self-determination and choice for those with disabilities includes an emphasis on education and training for providers who move those with disabilities from dependence to empowerment and self-sufficiency. SILC's intention to partner with the lead domestic violence organizations in Idaho as well as multiple advocacy groups is a formula for success, and one that I strongly support.”

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Contacts: Lisa McClain, Boise State Gender Studies Program, (208) 426-1985, lmcclain@boisestate.edu; Kelly Buckland, State Independent Living Council, (208) 334-3800, Kelly.buckland@silc.idaho.gov; Sue Fellen, Idaho Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence, (208) 384-0419
Media Contact: Kathleen Craven, University Communications, (208) 426-3275, kcraven@boisestate.edu

Where you see blue, we see the largest institution of higher education in Idaho. For the ninth time in the last 10 years, Boise State University has set an all‑time state record with a fall enrollment of 18,876 students. Since 1996, Boise State’s student population has increased 25 percent.
 

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Last reviewed on Wednesday, January 03, 2007