U.S. government statistics reveal one in six women will experience an attempted or completed rape at some time in her life, and it is estimated that a majority of female rape victims are younger than age 18. The 2006 National Violence Against Women Survey found that more than 300,000 women are estimated to be victims of sexual assault each year in the United States.

Sexual violence may occur in any type of relationship, but most perpetrators of sexual assault are known to their victims: As many as 6 in 10 rape or sexual assault victims are assaulted by an intimate partner, relative, friend, or acquaintance, according to U.S. government estimates. An estimated 1.3 million women are victims of physical assault by an intimate partner each year, and approximately 40 to 50 percent of battered women are also sexually assaulted by their partners. There is a pressing need to address the national prevalence of sexual assault, lack of available direct intervention and related assistance services, and the unique aspects of sexual assault trauma from which victims must heal.

Program Overview

The Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) currently administers 18 programs authorized by the Violence Against Women Act of 1994 and subsequent legislation. These grants are designed to develop the nation's capacity to reduce domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking by strengthening services to victims and holding offenders accountable for their actions.

The Sexual Assault Services Program (SASP), created by the Violence Against Women Act of 2005 (VAWA 2005), is the first federal funding stream solely dedicated to the provision of direct intervention and related assistance for victims of sexual assault. The SASP encompasses four different funding streams for States and Territories, Tribes, State Sexual Assault Coalitions, Tribal Coalitions, and culturally specific organizations. Overall, the purpose of SASP is to provide intervention, advocacy, accompaniment, support services, and related assistance for adult, youth, and child victims of sexual assault, family and household members of victims, and those collaterally affected by the sexual assault.

The SASP supports efforts to help survivors heal from sexual assault trauma through direct intervention and related assistance from social service organizations such as rape crisis centers through 24-hour sexual assault hotlines, crisis intervention, and medical and criminal justice accompaniment. The SASP will support such services through the establishment, maintenance, and expansion of rape crisis centers and other programs and projects to assist those victimized by sexual assault.

VAWA 2005 authorized the appropriation of $50 million for each of Fiscal Years 2007 through 2011 for SASP. The first funding for this program was made available for Fiscal Year 2008 when $9.4 million was appropriated to fund projects that serve victims of sexual assault.

Sexual Assault Services Program Funding Streams

• Formula Grants to States and Territories
• Eligible Applicants: states and territories
• Grants to State, Territorial, and Tribal Sexual Assault Coalitions
• Eligible Applicants: state, territorial, and tribal sexual assault coalitions
• Grants to Tribes
• Eligible Applicants: Indian tribes, tribal organizations, and nonprofit tribal organizations
• Grants to Culturally Specific Programs
Eligible Applicants:
• Are private nonprofit organizations that focus primarily on culturally specific communities;
• Have documented organizational experience in the area of sexual assault intervention or have entered into a partnership with an organization having such expertise;
• Have expertise in the development of community-based, linguistically and culturally specific outreach and intervention services relevant for the specific communities to whom assistance would be provided or have the capacity to link to existing services in the community tailored to the needs of culturally specific populations; and
• Have an advisory board or steering committee and staffing which is reflective of the targeted culturally specific community.

The Sexual Assault Services Program is currently under development. Please check the OVW website for updated information and solicitation announcements.

If you have additional questions, contact OVW at (202) 307-6026.

November 2008