GVSU receives continuation grant from VAWA

Grand Valley received a three-year continuation grant through the federal Violence Against Women Act to further its efforts preventing dating violence, domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking crimes on campus.

The $281,250 grant from the U.S. Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women will continue the work coordinated by the GVSU Women’s Center through 2016.

The Women’s Center received an initial VAWA grant in 2011. Grant coordinator Theresa Rowland said the continuation means the work accomplished over the past two years will continue and will be enhanced.

Since the initial grant was received, student reports of sexual violence have increased. From 2011, there were eight incidents, and nine in 2012. Prior to the grant in 2010, there were two reported incidents. Rowland, who chairs the Campus Violence Prevention Team, said the increase is likely due to increased efforts to train Grand Valley police officers and other staff, and educate students how to report an incident.

Under the continuation grant, victim services and bystander programming will be enhanced as will programs from a CVPT subcommittee, the Men’s Group, a student group focused on gender-based violence prevention.

New community partners have been added: Grand Rapids Police Department and the Ottawa County Prosecutor’s Office, Victim Assistance Unit. Other community partners are the YWCA of West Central Michigan, Lakeshore Alliance Against Domestic and Sexual Assault, Kent County Domestic Violence Community Community Report Team, and Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office.

More information is online at www.gvsu.edu/women_cen.