The specialized Domestic Violence Crime Unit received a $54,500 grant that was awarded by former Gov. Bob Riley.
The funds from the grant have been put in place to monitor and prosecute cases that involve domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking.
January has been named National Stalking Awareness Month by the U.S. Department of Justice.
According to a 2009 report from the Bureau of Justice Statistics, most cases of intimate partner violence involve a charge of assault. About 12 percent are classified as aggravated, 78 percent are simple, and an additional 5 percent are charged with intimidation, including stalking.
Nearly one in four intimate partner violence cases involve a child witness.
“About 15.5 percent of our total outreach clients were from Talladega County and 9 percent of our in-shelter clients came from Talladega County,” said Susan Shipman, executive director for 2nd Chance Inc.
2nd Chance is receiving three grants totaling $78,895 to continue providing services to victims through its emergency shelter, the Joy Kathryn Courtney House.
From the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act there is a total of $33,805 in grant funding.
The Victims of Crime Act funding for its new office in Gadsden totals $34,190.
The Violence Against Women Act provides $10,900 in grant funding that is used for court and legal advocacy projects.
“A majority of the money in the grants is for personnel, and without these we wouldn’t be able to do the services we do,” Shipman said.
The Joy Kathryn Courtney House, for example, operates 24/7 and provides emergency shelter for victims and their children fleeing domestic violence situations.
Shipman said that although 2nd Chance has no physical presence in Talladega County, there is a large outreach to the 15.5 percent of their clients from the county, similar to the candlelight vigil they helped sponsor at the Talladega County Courthouse Oct. 25, 2010, for Shalanda Pope, who was allegedly murdered by her estranged husband.
To contact 2nd Chance or its Joy Kathryn Courtney House emergency shelter, call the 24-hour toll free hotline at 800-650-6522.
