Women’s Center Renews Grant to Decrease Violence
March 18, 2008
Virginia Tech Collegiate Times
This month, Virginia Tech has received the coveted Violence Against Women Act grant through a new piece of legislation, which will cover the Women's Center from 2007 to 2010.
The Violence Against Women Act, passed in 1994, has provided over $4 billion to help decrease the amount of domestic violence, stalking and sexual assault in the country.
"The VAWA grant is a piece of federal legislation, and it is specifically for college and university campuses across the country," said Jennifer Underwood, the victim services outreach coordinator at Tech's Women's Center.
At just under $300,000, the grant will offer a great deal of support for Tech's Women's Center as well as the Tech Police Department and the Office of Judicial Affairs. Underwood said that the grant aims to reduce violence through education and to add a full time staff member in the Women's Center and the Office of Judicial Affairs who works to "educate and to encourage students to report any assault or abuse." Part of the money will also be used to help staff the police department.
"It's a seamless exchange of resources for students," said Meghan Weyrens Kuhn, judicial coordinator.
Kuhn said an increased number of students are reporting sexual assault on campus, and through additional education and raised awareness, more students will come forward.
"We have a great foundation and hopefully we will keep building on it and put an end to violence," Kuhn said.
Since first receiving the award in 2001, the Women's Center and the Office of Judicial Affairs have reapplied for the grant every two years and have been successful.
"This cycle of the grant covers three years, from 2007 to 2010, and we have added the Tech Police Department as a third partner," Underwood said.
"It's important to keep funding up for education and prevention," said Susan Shome, professor of women's studies. "And there are other events taking place on campus like Take Back the Night and the Clothesline Project that will help raise awareness for what's going on around this campus."
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