UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES RECEIVE $6.8 MILLION IN JUSTICE DEPARTMENT FUNDS TO COMBAT VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN ON CAMPUS

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Twenty colleges and universities in 19 states will be better able to assist victims of sexual assault, domestic violence and stalking because of $6.8 million in funding announced today by the Justice Department. This is the second year that the Department's Violence Against Women Office (VAWO) is awarding the Grants to Combat Violent Crimes Against Women on Campuses to institutions of higher education.

"Many campuses have their own systems to address violence against women, but to be most effective they must link with off-campus resources," said Attorney General Janet Reno. "These funds are helping colleges and universities to work within their community to enhance victim safety, hold offenders accountable and prevent violent crimes against women on campuses."

To receive these funds, colleges and universities must develop partnerships with off-campus, nonprofit victim advocacy organizations and local criminal justice or civil legal agencies. Campus police must also be trained to respond to sexual assault, domestic violence and stalking, and a mandatory prevention and education program on violence against women must be established for all incoming students.

"Sexual assault and other violent crimes against women often go unreported on campuses because victims aren't aware of the services or recourse available to them," said Bonnie Campbell, Director of VAWO. "These funds will assist colleges and universities in helping victims to come forward and obtain the services they need."

Funds may be used to train campus administrators, staff and disciplinary boards to identify and respond more effectively to violence against women and to strengthen services for victims, such as counseling or medical treatment. Communication and data collection systems, which link campus security to local law enforcement to identify and track arrests, protection orders and prosecutions relating to violence against women, and capital improvements, such as improved lighting on campus, may also be supported as part of comprehensive efforts to address violence against women on campuses.

Congress appropriated $10 million for the FY 2000 Grants to Combat Violent Crimes Against Women on Campuses Program, which is authorized by the Higher Education Amendments of 1998. VAWO received 120 applications requesting $40.1 million and is awarding 20 grants totaling $6.8 million. Remaining funds will be used for a national evaluation of the program and technical assistance.

Attached is a list of the specific grant awards. More information about the campus program and other violence against women efforts can be found at VAWO's Website at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/vawo or OJP's Website at www.ojp.usdoj.gov, or by calling the National Criminal Justice Reference Service toll-free on 1-800/851-3420.

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After hours contact: Linda Mansour on 202/616-3534

OFFICE OF JUSTICE PROGRAMS

FY 2000 GRANTS TO COMBAT VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN ON CAMPUSES

STATE	JURISDICTION	GRANTEE	AMOUNT
CALIFORNIA	Pomona	California State Polytechnic University, Pomona	$395,000
	Davis	University of California at Davis	$199,819
ILLINOIS	DeKalb	Northern Illinois University	$400,000
IOWA	Cedar Falls	University of Northern Iowa	$505,744
LOUISIANA	Baton Rouge	Southern University and A&M College	$349,882
MAINE	Orono	University of Maine	$302,256
MARYLAND	Baltimore	University of Maryland, Baltimore County	$381,616
MASSACHUSETTS	Amherst	University of Massachusetts	$392,238
NEW JERSEY	New Brunswick	Rutgers University	$399,879
NORTH CAROLINA	Winston-Salem	Wake Forest University	$199,995
NORTH DAKOTA	Jamestown	Jamestown College	$40,000
OHIO	Bowling Green	Bowling Green State University	$400,000
PENNSYLVANIA	University Park	Pennsylvania State University	$451,409
RHODE ISLAND	Kingston	University of Rhode Island	$372,104
SOUTH DAKOTA	Rosebud	Sinte Gleska University	$232,293
TENNESSEE	Memphis	LeMoyne Owen College	300,000
TEXAS	Austin	University of Texas at Austin	$549,030
VERMONT	Burlington	University of Vermont and Agricultural College	$294,324
WEST VIRGINIA	Huntington	Marshall University	$300,000
WISCONSIN	Milwaukee	Marquette University	$335,000
TOTAL	20	20	$6,800,589