Justice Department Announces $8.5 Million in Grants to Reduce Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, Dating Violence and Stalking on College Campuses

The Justice Department's Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) today announced 27 awards totaling $8.5 million to enhance victim services and develop programs to prevent, investigate and respond to sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence and stalking on campus.  The awards are made with funds from the Grants to Reduce Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, and Stalking on Campus Program (campus program).

The campus program supports institutions of higher education in developing comprehensive coordinated campus and community-based approaches to prevent and respond to sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence and stalking.  Recipients are required to conduct mandatory prevention and education programming for all incoming students and to train campus law enforcement and all members of campus disciplinary boards to respond effectively to sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence and stalking.  Campuses can use funds to develop and adopt policies and protocols that prioritize victim safety and hold offenders accountable.

“We know that victims who receive comprehensive advocacy and services are more likely to achieve their goals of safety, autonomy and healing,” said Principal Deputy Director Bea Hanson of the Office on Violence Against Women.  “Coordination between on-and-off campus victim services organizations and the local criminal justice system is critical to providing holistic support and services that victims need and ensuring that perpetrators are held accountable.”

For more information about the Campus Program, visit www.justice.gov/ovw/responding-campus-sexual-assault.

The Fiscal Year 2015 grant recipients are:

Humboldt State University, Arcata, California; Shasta-Tehama-Trinity Joint Community College, Redding, California; Asnuntuck Community College, Enfield, Conn Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, Tallahassee, Florida; Daytona State College, Daytona Beach, Florida.; Valencia College, Orlando, Florida.; Indian Hills Community College, Ottumwa, Iowa; Saint Joseph’s College, Rensselaer, Indiana; Washburn University of Topeka, Topeka, Kansas; Salam State University, Salem, Massachusetts; Bates College, Lewiston, Maine; Avila University, Kansas City, Missouri; Mississippi Valley State University, Itta Bena, Mississippi; Salish Kootenai College, Pablo, Montana; Mars Hill University, Mars Hill, North Carolina; University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina; Passaic County Community College, Paterson, New Jersey; The College of New Jersey, Ewing, New Jersey.; University of Nevada at Reno, Reno, Neveda; Juniata College, Huntingdon, Pennsylvania.; Cabrini College, Radnor, Pennsylvania.; Messiah College, Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania.; University of Puerto Rico at Carolina, Carolina, Puerto Rico; Augustana College (recently renamed Augustana University), Sioux Falls, South Dakota; University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee; University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, Texas; Edmonds Community College, Lynnwood, Washington.    

About the Office on Violence Against Women

Created in 1995, the Office on Violence Against Women provides federal leadership in developing the Nation’s capacity to reduce violence against women through the implementation of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) and subsequent legislation.  OVW administers financial and technical assistance to communities across the country that are developing programs, policies and practices aimed at ending domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking.  To learn more, visit www.justice.gov/ovw.