(U.S. SENATE) - Senators Jon Tester and Max Baucus today announced that Domestic Violence Education Services, a non-profit organization in Polson known as DOVES, will receive $405,000 to better support and protect women against violence.

The grant is available through the Violence Against Women Act that Tester and Baucus are working to extend.  The Violence Against Women Act, which uses proven initiatives to empower women and help survivors recover, reduces domestic and sexual violence against women and children.

"No Montana community tolerates violence against women," said Tester.  "We need to do everything we can to prevent sexual violence, and these resources will help protect more Montana women.  Our next step is to get the Senate's strong, bipartisan Violence Against Women Act signed into law so that valuable services remain available for the people who need them."

"Every single one of us has a role to play in protecting our communities against sexual violence.  Investing in the critical work folks are doing at DOVES continues our commitment to zero tolerance for violence against all Montana women," Baucus said. "The statistics prove that the Violence Against Women Act is working, but we still have a long way to go, and each one of those numbers is a mother, a daughter, a sister or a friend who deserves to know we stand with her by reauthorizing a strong Violence Against Women Act."

Tester and Baucus helped reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act in the Senate in April.  The Senate's bipartisan bill provides resources to strengthen law enforcement and prosecution.  It also expands the list of acts defined as domestic violence and increases support for Indian Country, where women suffer from violent crime three and a half times the national average.

The House of Representatives did not include the increased support for Indian Country in its plan, and it has not voted on the Senate bill.

The coalition will use the assistance to work with the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes Victim Assistance Program to offer a weekly women's support group and to collaborate with the program and Salish Kootenai College to conduct outreach and educational projects and activities.

Since the Violence Against Women Act was enacted in 1994, the annual rate of domestic violence has dropped more than 50 percent, but violence is increasing in Indian Country.  The bill, which also addresses domestic and sexual violence against men, was reauthorized in 2000 and 2005.

The Senate's bipartisan Violence Against Women Act as introduced is available online HERE.