White plains, NY - Congresswoman Nita M. Lowey announces that the Pace Women’s Justice Center was being given $275,000 for Project DETER, an early intervention program that provides legal representation to domestic violence victims by linking the local police force with the Center’s attorneys on a 24-hour basis. Whenever police identify a domestic violence case, they can access a lawyer immediately thereby giving the victim a chance quickly secure an Order of Protection in Family Court. Project DETER will use the funds Lowey secured in the fiscal year 2003 appropriations bill to implement its program in additional communities in Westchester county.

"As a member of congress and a former Assistant Secretary of State for New York, I have worked for over twenty years to combat domestic violence, said Lowey. "I am proud to have secured funding for project deter and the center for court innovation to assist survivors and punish perpetrators of domestic violence here in Westchester county and through out New York."

"Batterers don’t operate on a 9 to 5 schedule, and so neither do the attorneys at the pace women’s justice center. We know that victims of domestic violence need legal representation, like they need police or medical assistance," said Vicki Lutz, executive director of the pace women’s justice center. "through Congresswoman Lowey’s efforts, Project DETER will not only be able to expand to more police departments in Westchester, but will now be available to hospital patients who may be victims of domestic violence."

Lowey also announced $3.5 million she secured for the center for court innovation. This unique public-private partnership seeks to improve how the courts function and enhance the judicial system’s ability to solve problems for the public. Several of the center’s projects operate in Westchester, including the state’s first combined felony-misdemeanor integrated domestic violence court.

The Westchester Domestic Violence Court takes a "one judge-one family" approach which allows victims in Westchester to have all of their complaints- criminal and civil- heard in a single forum. Based on this court’s success, the center will use federal funds secured by Lowey to expand integrated domestic violence courts statewide.

"Fortunately, our response to domestic violence has changed dramatically over the last few decades. I am proud to join such committed advocates who work on the front lines to aid, protect, and support survivors of domestic violence. Programs like Westchester Domestic Violence Court and Project DETER are making real gains in the fight against domestic violence," said Lowey.

Lowey, who fought to pass the landmark Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) in 1994, has been a long-time advocate for victims of domestic violence. As a member of the House Appropriations Committee, she has fought vigorously to ensure that VAWA programs, such as the National Domestic Violence Hotline and funding for local shelters, receive sufficient funds.

Lowey recently became a sponsor of the Domestic Violence Screening, Treatment, and Prevention Act of 2003. This bill would establish systems to better train medical professionals to properly care for victims of violence and to improve coordination between health, justice, and social service systems regarding family violence and violence against women. Specifically, the legislation would do the following:

§ Encourage health care providers to routinely screen women over 18 for domestic violence;

§ Allow states to cover domestic violence screening and treatment services under Medicaid

§ Provide coverage for domestic violence services under the Federal Employees Health Benefits Plan;

§ Provide grants to train health professionals to identify and assess signs of abuse and to improve local and statewide public health responses to domestic violence; and

§ Establish family violence research and education centers.

"We live in a time now when many Americans are concerned about their personal safety due to the threat of terrorism. Sadly, millions of people- primarily women – have feared for their safety due to circumstances within their own homes for years and years. We cannot stop fighting until every woman is sage in her own home. I will continue to fight in congress for a ‘zero tolerance’ approach to domestic violence, "Lowey concluded.

Founded in 1976, Pace Law School is located in White Plains, N.Y., 20 miles north of New York City. The School offers the J.D. program for full-time, and part-time day, and evening students. Its post-graduate program includes the LL.M. and S.J.D. degrees in Environmental Law and an LL.M. in Comparative Legal Studies. Pace has one of the nation's top-rated environmental law programs and its Clinical Education Program also is nationally ranked, offering clinics in domestic violence prosecution, securities arbitration, criminal justice, and disability rights.