Posted on: Sunday, September 7, 2003

Domestic violence grants total $1.2 million

Associated Press

The federal Office on Violence Against Women has awarded Hawai'i two grants totaling more than $1.2 million, U.S. Attorney Edward H. Kubo Jr. said.

The attorney general's office will get $750,000 to help support the Safe Havens: Supervised Visitation and Safe Exchange Grant Program.

The state will develop an initiative to promote long-term safety for battered women and their children by improving visitation services throughout Hawai'i, Kubo said Friday.

Such grants help support families with a history of domestic violence, child abuse, sexual assault or stalking by increasing supervised visitation and exchange options, he said.

The rest of the money — $497,877 — will enable the attorney general's office to address domestic violence cases through the use of digital photography.

Kubo said the photography will be used in police investigations to preserve and present evidence for the filing of charges and for the issuing of temporary restraining orders.

Digital cameras and processing software will be purchased, training will be provided and two process servers and two deputy prosecutors will be hired, he said.