“To establish a pilot program to address technology-related abuse in domestic violence cases.”
No CRS summary available for this bill.
This section states congressional findings on the prevalence of intimate partner violence, including technological abuse, noting that 41 percent of women and 26 percent of men experience sexual violence, physical violence, or stalking by an intimate partner; 97 percent of victim support programs report abusers using technology to stalk, harass, or control victims; 1 in 3 women under age 35 report online sexual harassment; and over half of LGBTQ+ individuals report online abuse based on sexual orientation or gender. The section further details technology-based stalking methods used against 67 percent of victims via unwanted calls, texts, or voice messages; 50 percent via emails or internet messages; 35 percent via social media monitoring; 27 percent via posting or threats to post personal information online; and 19 percent via spying with devices, cameras, or monitoring software.
This section defines terms used in the Act, including (1) Director as the Director of the Office on Violence Against Women; (2) eligible consortium as an association between one or more institutions of higher education offering specified advanced technology programs or private/public sector partners with technical workforce plans and one or more domestic or sexual violence centers, supported by a letter from the relevant local, state, Tribal, or territorial government; (3) institution of higher education as having the meaning given that term in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001); (4) pilot program as the program established under section 4(a)(1); and (5) technological abuse as defined in section 40002(a)(40) of the Violence Against Women Act of 1994 (34 U.S.C. 12291(a)(40)).
This section authorizes the Director to establish a pilot program to award grants of up to $2 million each to not more than 15 eligible consortia to combat technological abuse (i.e., abuse facilitated by technology such as cyberstalking or nonconsensual image sharing). Prior to establishment and following consultation with the Secretaries of Health and Human Services and Education, the Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, and stakeholders including groups reducing technological abuse and victim service providers, grant recipients may use funds to purchase technological devices for victims and survivors or provide other services to reduce such abuse or assist victims. The pilot program terminates five years after the date of the first grant award. The Director must submit to relevant congressional committees (1) by three years after the first award, a report on the program's efficacy, implementation challenges and solutions, and a recommendation on permanency; and (2) by one year after termination, a report on efficacy, best practices, and improvements needed. Such sums as are necessary are authorized to be appropriated.
This section establishes a grant program, administered by the Director in consultation with the Secretaries of Education and Health and Human Services, under which the Director may award up to $20 million in grants over five years to nonprofit organizations and institutions of higher education to develop and implement training, educational programs, technical assistance, tools, curricula, and other materials for organizations and individuals supporting victims of technological abuse. Recipients of grants under section 4 are eligible for grants under this section, and such sums as are necessary are authorized to be appropriated.