Office on Violence Against Women–Campus Grant Program

In 2001, Virginia Tech's Women's Center and Office of Judicial Affairs were awarded a $300,000 grant from the Office on Violence Against Women in the Department of Justice. The goals of this Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) grant were to increase numbers of reports of gender-based violence and to raise the number of cases adjudicated both on and off campus. The goals of the grant also included raising awareness about the issues of sexual assault, relationship violence, harassment, and stalking and by making sure that students, faculty, and staff know how to respond to these incidents.

The grant is a two-year cycle and Virginia Tech's funding was renewed for a third grant cycle in October 2005! We are committed to meeting the same goals. Over the last five years, there have been great strides made to help end violence against women at Virginia Tech. We have held trainings for faculty and staff, offered large theatre productions to the campus and community, and we continue to facilitate presentations for classes, residence halls, and various organizations. Through that programming, we have reached over 38,000 people. Several brochures and materials have also been created, and updates of those materials are currently in progress. Over the life of the grant, the number of students, faculty, and staff seeking services from the Women's Center has greatly increased. Additionally, we have also seen an increase in the numbers of judicial referrals and police reports. Finally, since the creation of the Stop Abuse Website (www.stopabuse.vt.edu) in September 2002, there have been over 35,000 visits.

To learn more about the Grants to Reduce Violent Crimes Against Women on Campus Program (Campus Program), visit http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov

Grant statement: This project was supported by grant # 2005-WA-AX-0020 awarded by the Violence Against Women Office, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. Points of View in this document are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice.

Last updated 03/29/2007