U.S. Sens. Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan and U.S. Reps. Carol Shea-Porter and Annie Kuster have announced an additional $2,441,735 in grants from the U.S. Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women.

Shaheen, the lead Democrat on the Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee, has led efforts in Congress to support survivors of domestic and sexual violence, and has secured federal funding through the yearly appropriations process to fund the Office on Violence Against Women.

The New Hampshire delegation previously announced $449,139 to Strafford County, and the additional grants include $1,447,290 to the State of New Hampshire, $457,243 to Grafton County, $238,112 to the New Hampshire Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence, and $299,090 to the Organization for Refugee and Immigrant Success.

The grant funding awarded to New Hampshire for fiscal year 2018 totals $2,890,874.

“Our community partners in New Hampshire provide life-saving support and care for survivors of domestic and sexual violence, so boosting investments in their programs is critical,” said Shaheen.

“We must support the survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence, and stalking, and ensure that their perpetrators are brought to justice,” said Hassan. “These grants from the Department of Justice’s Office of Violence Against Women will help our state address the backlog of sexual assault kits while better supporting the survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence,” said Shea-Porter.

“I’m pleased that New Hampshire will be receiving these critical resources to support survivors and families during their most difficult moments,” said Kuster, the founder and co-chair of the Bipartisan Task Force to End Sexual Violence.

Amanda Grady Sexton, director of public affairs for the New Hampshire Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence said the Violence Aganst Women Act is a life-saving source of funding for survivors of domestic and sexual violence in New Hampshire.

“The Coalition’s 13 crisis centers rely on VAWA to protect children, strengthen and rebuild families, and prevent future violence in our state,” she said. “The high prevalence of violence against women in New Hampshire has serious consequences that affect the safety and well-being of our communities, and with funding from VAWA, we are able to continue our collaborative, multidisciplinary approach to ending domestic and sexual violence in our state. We are grateful to our entire federal delegation for their longstanding commitment to funding programs that advance public safety and help survivors and their children seek independence from abuse.”

Without action by Congress, the Violence Against Women Act will expire in December.