By: Leah Foreman

District 7 U.S. Rep. Lizzie Fletcher, D-Houston, announced Dec. 6 the allocation of $813,853 in federal funding to the Houston Area Women's Center.

This money—supplied through the Improving Criminal Justice Responses to Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking Grant Program—will be used to support survivor safety and offender accountability in instances of relationship or domestic violence, assault and stalking by fostering collaboration between local and state governments, courts and community organizations, according to a Dec. 6 press release from Fletcher.

“The Houston Area Women’s Center provides essential support for survivors of domestic violence, and its funding is critical for our community,” Fletcher said in a statement. “The COVID-19 pandemic brought an increase in intimate partner violence, and now more than ever, we need resources to stop abuse before it happens.”

The announcement comes after the Houston Area Women's Center unveiled plans of expansion earlier this year, including a new residential campus.