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JUSTICE DEPARTMENT AWARDS VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY $360,286

NASHVILLE, TN Attorney General Ashcroft announced today that the Justice Department is awarding Vanderbilt University $360,286 to combat violence against women on campus.

The Grants to Reduce Violent Crimes Against Women on Campus Program is funded under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) and provides an opportunity for institutions of higher education to establish multidisciplinary consortia to combat violent crimes against women on campuses. The Justice Department has awarded Vanderbilt University close to $800,000 in VAWA funds for this initiative.

"Over the next few weeks, millions of Americans will prepare to send their children off to our nation's colleges and universities. Our college campuses are among the safest places in America, but crime does occur and we know that women are at risk for sexual assault, including date rape and stalking," said Ashcroft. "This funding for Vanderbilt will give the campus administrators, faculty, and students the resources they need to educate, prevent and prosecute crimes against women."

The Grants to Reduce Violent Crimes Against Women on Campus Program supports victim services, prevention and education programs, and security and investigation strategies.

Vanderbilt University has used funding to:

• Hire a Coordinator of Outreach and Services to implement a coordinated response to violence against women;

• Increase awareness programs about and services to victims of stalking;

• Improve outreach and services to international students and other underserved populations;

• Train women in sororities to provide outreach and advocacy; and

• Improve education and outreach to men on campus.

In addition, Vanderbilt University has increased the availability of the Rape Aggression Defense Program to students, staff, faculty and community members and trained medical personnel on campus on victim care and response procedures. University policies and protocols have been reviewed and developed where necessary to address domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking.

Current funding will be used to generate outreach and prevention materials and a training curriculum to strengthen the ongoing initiatives for campus and community audiences.

The Grants to Reduce Violent Crimes Against Women on Campus Program was authorized by the Higher Education Amendments of 1998 and reauthorized by the Violence Against Women Act of 2000. The grants are administered by the Office of Justice Programs' (OJP) Violence Against Women Office (VAWO).