Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Daniel K. Akaka is pleased to announce that the University of Hawaii at Manoa has been awarded $199,999 from the Department of Justice Office (DOJ) on Violence Against Women.

Authorized by the Higher Education Amendments of 1998 and reauthorized by the Violence Against Women Act of 2000, the program provides funds to establish victim services, implement prevention and education programs, and develop and strengthen security and investigation strategies to prevent and respond to domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking crimes on campuses.

Senator Akaka said, "We must be proactive in making our communities as safe as possible, and this grant will help develop important security and prevention strategies. This grant will not only make a difference on the University of Hawaii at Manoa campus but to the community at large."

Senator Akaka noted that the UH-Manoa is the largest public institution of higher education in the state. According to the DOJ, the Program Against Violence to Women will serve more than 20,000 students (57 % of whom are women) and 2,300 faculty and staff.