§ 12291. Definitions and grant provisions

§ 12291. Definitions and grant provisions

(a) Definitions In this subchapter, for the purpose of grants authorized under this subchapter:

(1) Abuse in later life The term “abuse in later life”—

(A) means—

(i) neglect, abandonment, economic abuse, or willful harm of an adult aged 50 or older by an individual in an ongoing relationship of trust with the victim; or

(ii) domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking of an adult aged 50 or older by any individual; and

(B) does not include self-neglect.

(2) Alaska Native village The term “Alaska Native village” has the same meaning given such term in the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (43 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.).

(3) Child abuse and neglect The term “child abuse and neglect” means any recent act or failure to act on the part of a parent or caregiver with intent to cause death, serious physical or emotional harm, sexual abuse, or exploitation, or an act or failure to act which presents an imminent risk of serious harm to an unemancipated minor. This definition shall not be construed to mean that failure to leave an abusive relationship, in the absence of other action constituting abuse or neglect, is itself abuse or neglect.

(4) Child maltreatment The term “child maltreatment” means the physical or psychological abuse or neglect of a child or youth, including sexual assault and abuse.

(5) Community-based organization The term “community-based organization” means a nonprofit, nongovernmental, or tribal organization that serves a specific geographic community that—

(A) focuses primarily on domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking;

(B) has established a specialized culturally specific program that addresses domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking;

(C) has a primary focus on underserved populations (and includes representatives of these populations) and domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking; or

(D) obtains expertise, or shows demonstrated capacity to work effectively, on domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking through collaboration.

(6) Court-based personnel; court-related personnel The terms “court-based personnel” and “court-related personnel” mean individuals working in the court, whether paid or volunteer, including—

(A) clerks, special masters, domestic relations officers, administrators, mediators, custody evaluators, guardians ad litem, lawyers, negotiators, probation, parole, interpreters, victim assistants, victim advocates, and judicial, administrative, or any other professionals or personnel similarly involved in the legal process;

(B) court security personnel;

(C) personnel working in related supplementary offices or programs (such as child support enforcement); and

(D) any other court-based or community-based personnel having responsibilities or authority to address domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking in the court system.

(7) Courts The term “courts” means any civil or criminal, tribal, and Alaska Native Village, Federal, State, local or territorial court having jurisdiction to address domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault or stalking, including immigration, family, juvenile, and dependency courts, and the judicial officers serving in those courts, including judges, magistrate judges, commissioners, justices of the peace, or any other person with decisionmaking authority.

(8) Culturally specific The term “culturally specific” means primarily directed toward racial and ethnic minority groups (as defined in section 1707(g) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300u–6(g)).11 So in original. The period probably should be preceded by another closing parenthesis.

(9) Culturally specific services The term “culturally specific services” means community-based services that include culturally relevant and linguistically specific services and resources to culturally specific communities.

(10) Dating partner The term “dating partner” refers to a person who is or has been in a social relationship of a romantic or intimate nature with the abuser, and where the existence of such a relationship shall be determined based on a consideration of—

(A) the length of the relationship;

(B) the type of relationship; and

(C) the frequency of interaction between the persons involved in the relationship.

(11) Dating violence The term “dating violence” means violence committed by a person—

(A) who is or has been in a social relationship of a romantic or intimate nature with the victim; and

(B) where the existence of such a relationship shall be determined based on a consideration of the following factors:

(i) The length of the relationship.

(ii) The type of relationship.

(iii) The frequency of interaction between the persons involved in the relationship.

(12) Domestic violence The term “domestic violence” includes felony or misdemeanor crimes committed by a current or former spouse or intimate partner of the victim under the family or domestic violence laws of the jurisdiction receiving grant funding and, in the case of victim services, includes the use or attempted use of physical abuse or sexual abuse, or a pattern of any other coercive behavior committed, enabled, or solicited to gain or maintain power and control over a victim, including verbal, psychological, economic, or technological abuse that may or may not constitute criminal behavior, by a person who—

(A) is a current or former spouse or intimate partner of the victim, or person similarly situated to a spouse of the victim;

(B) is cohabitating, or has cohabitated, with the victim as a spouse or intimate partner;

(C) shares a child in common with the victim; or

(D) commits acts against a youth or adult victim who is protected from those acts under the family or domestic violence laws of the jurisdiction.

(13) Economic abuse The term “economic abuse”, in the context of domestic violence, dating violence, and abuse in later life, means behavior that is coercive, deceptive, or unreasonably controls or restrains a person’s ability to acquire, use, or maintain economic resources to which they are entitled, including using coercion, fraud, or manipulation to—

(A) restrict a person’s access to money, assets, credit, or financial information;

(B) unfairly use a person’s personal economic resources, including money, assets, and credit, for one’s own advantage; or

(C) exert undue influence over a person’s financial and economic behavior or decisions, including forcing default on joint or other financial obligations, exploiting powers of attorney, guardianship, or conservatorship, or failing or neglecting to act in the best interests of a person to whom one has a fiduciary duty.

(14) Elder abuse The term “elder abuse” means any action against a person who is 50 years of age or older that constitutes the willful—

(A) infliction of injury, unreasonable confinement, intimidation, or cruel punishment with resulting physical harm, pain, or mental anguish; or

(B) deprivation by a person, including a caregiver, of goods or services with intent to cause physical harm, mental anguish, or mental illness.

(15) Female genital mutilation or cutting The term “female genital mutilation or cutting” has the meaning given such term in section 116 of title 18.

(16) Forced marriage The term “forced marriage” means a marriage to which 1 or both parties do not or cannot consent, and in which 1 or more elements of force, fraud, or coercion is present. Forced marriage can be both a cause and a consequence of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault or stalking.

(17) Homeless The term “homeless” has the meaning given such term in section 12473 of this title.

(18) Indian The term “Indian” means a member of an Indian tribe.

(19) Indian country The term “Indian country” has the same meaning given such term in section 1151 of title 18.

(20) Indian housing The term “Indian housing” means housing assistance described in the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act of 1996 (25 U.S.C. 4101 et seq., as amended).

(21) Indian law enforcement The term “Indian law enforcement” means the departments or individuals under the direction of the Indian tribe that maintain public order.

(22) Indian tribe; Indian Tribe The terms “Indian tribe” and “Indian Tribe” mean a tribe, band, pueblo, nation, or other organized group or community of Indians, including any Alaska Native village or regional or village corporation (as defined in, or established pursuant to, the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (43 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.)), that is recognized as eligible for the special programs and services provided by the United States to Indians because of their status as Indians.

(23) Law enforcement The term “law enforcement” means a public agency charged with policing functions, including any of its component bureaus (such as governmental victim services programs or Village Public Safety Officers), including those referred to in section 2802 of title 25.

(24) Legal assistance

(A) Definition The term “legal assistance” means assistance provided by or under the direct supervision of a person described in subparagraph (B) to an adult, youth, or child victim of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking relating to a matter described in subparagraph (C).

(B) Person described A person described in this subparagraph is—

(i) a licensed attorney;

(ii) in immigration proceedings, a Board of Immigration Appeals accredited representative;

(iii) in claims of the Department of Veterans Affairs, a representative authorized by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or

(iv) any person who functions as an attorney or lay advocate in tribal court.

(C) Matter described A matter described in this subparagraph is a matter relating to—

(i) divorce, parental rights, child support, Tribal, territorial, immigration, employment, administrative agency, housing, campus, education, healthcare, privacy, contract, consumer, civil rights, protection or other injunctive proceedings, related enforcement proceedings, and other similar matters;

(ii) criminal justice investigations, prosecutions, and post-conviction matters (including sentencing, parole, and probation) that impact the victim’s safety, privacy, or other interests as a victim;

(iii) alternative dispute resolution, restorative practices, or other processes intended to promote victim safety, privacy, and autonomy, and offender accountability, regardless of court involvement; or

(iv) with respect to a conviction of a victim relating to or arising from domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, or sex trafficking victimization of the victim, post-conviction relief proceedings in State, local, Tribal, or territorial court.

(D) Intake or referral For purposes of this paragraph, intake or referral, by itself, does not constitute legal assistance.

(25) Personally identifying information or personal information The term “personally identifying information” or “personal information” means individually identifying information for or about an individual including information likely to disclose the location of a victim of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking, regardless of whether the information is encoded, encrypted, hashed, or otherwise protected, including—

(A) a first and last name;

(B) a home or other physical address;

(C) contact information (including a postal, e-mail or Internet protocol address, or telephone or facsimile number);

(D) a social security number, driver license number, passport number, or student identification number; and

(E) any other information, including date of birth, racial or ethnic background, or religious affiliation, that would serve to identify any individual.

(26) Population specific organization The term “population specific organization” means a nonprofit, nongovernmental organization that primarily serves members of a specific underserved population and has demonstrated experience and expertise providing targeted services to members of that specific underserved population.

(27) Population specific services The term “population specific services” means victim-centered services that address the safety, health, economic, legal, housing, workplace, immigration, confidentiality, or other needs of victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking, and that are designed primarily for and are targeted to a specific underserved population.

(28) Prosecution The term “prosecution” means any public agency charged with direct responsibility for prosecuting criminal offenders, including such agency’s component bureaus (such as governmental victim assistance programs).

(29) Protection order or restraining order The term “protection order” or “restraining order” includes—

(A) any injunction, restraining order, or any other order issued by a civil or criminal court for the purpose of preventing violent or threatening acts or harassment against, sexual violence or contact or communication with or physical proximity to, another person, including any temporary or final orders issued by civil or criminal courts whether obtained by filing an independent action or as a pendente lite order in another proceeding so long as any civil order was issued in response to a complaint, petition, or motion filed by or on behalf of a person seeking protection; and

(B) any support, child custody or visitation provisions, orders, remedies, or relief issued as part of a protection order, restraining order, or stay away injunction pursuant to State, tribal, territorial, or local law authorizing the issuance of protection orders, restraining orders, or injunctions for the protection of victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking.

(30) Rape crisis center The term “rape crisis center” means a nonprofit, nongovernmental, or tribal organization, or governmental entity in a State other than a Territory that provides intervention and related assistance, as specified in section 12511(b)(2)(C) of this title, to victims of sexual assault without regard to their age. In the case of a governmental entity, the entity may not be part of the criminal justice system (such as a law enforcement agency) and must be able to offer a comparable level of confidentiality as a nonprofit entity that provides similar victim services.

(31) Restorative practice The term “restorative practice” means a practice relating to a specific harm that—

(A) is community-based and unaffiliated with any civil or criminal legal process;

(B) is initiated by a victim of the harm;

(C) involves, on a voluntary basis and without any evidence of coercion or intimidation of any victim of the harm by any individual who committed the harm or anyone associated with any such individual—

(i) 1 or more individuals who committed the harm;

(ii) 1 or more victims of the harm; and

(iii) the community affected by the harm through 1 or more representatives of the community;

(D) shall include and has the goal of—

(i) collectively seeking accountability from 1 or more individuals who committed the harm;

(ii) developing a written process whereby 1 or more individuals who committed the harm will take responsibility for the actions that caused harm to 1 or more victims of the harm; and

(iii) developing a written course of action plan—

(I) that is responsive to the needs of 1 or more victims of the harm; and

(II) upon which 1 or more victims, 1 or more individuals who committed the harm, and the community can agree; and

(E) is conducted in a victim services framework that protects the safety and supports the autonomy of 1 or more victims of the harm and the community.

(32) Rural area and rural community The term “rural area” and “rural community” mean—

(A) any area or community, respectively, no part of which is within an area designated as a standard metropolitan statistical area by the Office of Management and Budget;

(B) any area or community, respectively, that is—

(i) within an area designated as a metropolitan statistical area or considered as part of a metropolitan statistical area; and

(ii) located in a rural census tract; or

(C) any federally recognized Indian tribe.

(33) Rural State The term “rural State” means a State that has a population density of 57 or fewer persons per square mile or a State in which the largest county has fewer than 250,000 people, based on the most recent decennial census.

(34) Sex trafficking The term “sex trafficking” means any conduct proscribed by section 1591 of title 18, whether or not the conduct occurs in interstate or foreign commerce or within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States.

(35) Sexual assault The term “sexual assault” means any nonconsensual sexual act proscribed by Federal, tribal, or State law, including when the victim lacks capacity to consent.

(36) Stalking The term “stalking” means engaging in a course of conduct directed at a specific person that would cause a reasonable person to—

(A) fear for his or her safety or the safety of others; or

(B) suffer substantial emotional distress.

(37) State The term “State” means each of the several States and the District of Columbia, and except as otherwise provided, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the Virgin Islands, and the Northern Mariana Islands.

(38) State domestic violence coalition The term “State domestic violence coalition” means a program determined by the Administration for Children and Families under sections 10402 and 10411 of title 42.

(39) State sexual assault coalition The term “State sexual assault coalition” means a program determined by the Center for Injury Prevention and Control of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention under the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 280b et seq.).

(40) Technological abuse The term “technological abuse” means an act or pattern of behavior that occurs within domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence or stalking and is intended to harm, threaten, intimidate, control, stalk, harass, impersonate, exploit, extort, or monitor, except as otherwise permitted by law, another person, that occurs using any form of technology, including but not limited to: internet enabled devices, online spaces and platforms, computers, mobile devices, cameras and imaging programs, apps, location tracking devices, or communication technologies, or any other emerging technologies.