SLCo DA Announces $500k DOJ Grant to Help Fight Domestic Violence

Today, Salt Lake District Attorney Sim Gill, West Valley City Police Chief Colleen Jacobs, UCASA SANE Program Manager Susan Chasson, and the Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office Division Director for Survivor and Victim Services joined together to raise awareness about domestic violence in Salt Lake County.

Speakers noted that 50-68% of intimate partner violence victim-survivors experience strangulation, with 90% suffering head, neck, and face injuries. Strangulation is especially dangerous, causing internal injuries that may only be detected in an ER, and it often signals a high risk of homicide. Many survivor-victims also suffer traumatic brain injuries, most commonly concussions. Victims of intimate partner violence face traumatic brain injury rates 11-12 times higher than those from occupational, recreational, and accident-related incidents combined.

DA Gill announced that a new $500,000 grant from US Department Of Justice’s Office of Violence Against Women had recently been awarded to the SLCo DA’s office to help enhance investigations and prosecution of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking initiative over the next three years.

"To every victim-survivor: you are not alone. It is not your fault. If you take one step towards us, we will take three or four steps in your direction. We will meet you where you are, as you are, with no shame, no judgment. Our first focus is your safety and resilience, and then accountability for the abuse,” said Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill.

Below you will find updated information on prosecutions of domestic violence in the Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office. It is worth noting that there was a downturn in the amount of domestic violence related cases submitted for screening to the Salt Lake Count District Attorney’s Office between 2022-2023.

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UCASA: Utah Coalition Against Sexual Assault

SANE: Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner