Grant money to target responses to Illinois sexual assaults

MACOMB, Ill. (AP) - The Illinois attorney general's office says nearly a half-million dollars in federal grant money will help a western Illinois group provide services for sexual assault survivors.

Attorney General Lisa Madigan made the announcement in Macomb last week. The grant money will develop a five-county Regional Rural Sexual Assault Response Team over three years in Adams, Brown, Hancock, McDonough and Schuyler counties.

The team will include sexual assault nurse examiners who are specially trained to do forensic exams of sexual assault survivors. Other team members will include victim advocates, law enforcement officers and prosecutors.

Madigan's office says the effort stems from her work with Illinois' Joint Sexual Assault Working Group. The grant money comes from the U.S. Department of Justice.