Using Technology to Increase Legal Support for Survivors

The Using Technology to Increase Legal Support for Survivors (UTILSS) Project proposed by the National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV) responds to Purpose Area 1, “Innovative and technological solutions to enhancing access to services,” of the OVC FY 2021 Advancing the Use of Technology to Assist Victims of Crime solicitation. Through the UTILSS Project, NNEDV will develop and implement innovative and technological solutions to enhance access to services and identify gaps in technology that can be enhanced by building its technological capacity to increase access and provide timely victim services that are sustainable, safe, and aligned with OVC Model Standards.The UTILSS Project will close technology gaps often seen with chat services and enhance the technological capacity of the WomensLaw Email Hotline.

PRIMARY ACTIVITIES, DELIVERABLES, AND PRODUCTS: Through the UTILSS Project, NNEDV will: 1) provide direct services to crime victims, using trauma-informed approaches that protect the safety and confidentiality of victims; 2) develop culturally and linguistically appropriate community outreach events and/or materials and resources for victim service providers (VSPs) and criminal justice stakeholders, specifically targeting services to organizations serving victims of crime from Spanish-speaking and Korean communities; and 3) develop a final report describing project activities, promising practices, challenges encountered, and solutions to address those challenges in order to improve outcomes for crime victims.

SERVICE AREA: UTILSS Project has a nationwide scope. The service area will be all U.S. states and territories.

WHO WILL BENEFIT FROM THE PROPOSED PROJECT: Beneficiaries of the UTILSS Project include victims of crimes (such as domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking), as well as service providers and criminal justice stakeholders who support or interact with victims of crime.