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Grant strengthens services for victims of violence and sexual assault

By Karen Trimbath, Student Affairs Writer

Since 2001, two grants from the U.S. Department of Justice have enabled the Center for Women Students (CWS), Counseling and Psychological Services, University Health Services, and Judicial Affairs to strengthen services for women victims of violence. Now CWS, which administers the grant, plans to reapply for a third two-year cycle of funding. As a result of this renewed strenghthening, students may be more willing to come forward to seek these services, according to Peggy Lorah, director of the center.

It's important to apply for these funds because Penn State has a serious commitment to address sexual assault, violence and stalking, among other issues, says Lorah. She notes that Student Affairs provides the infrastructure that supports services to victims.

"These funds have allowed us to implement or enhance services for victims of violent crimes" Lorah adds. "The program brings us together in an institutional setting to work on these issues, protocols and policies."

Violence against women – including dating violence, domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking – is a serious problem on campuses, as it is across the nation, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. On campuses, however, special issues arise. To address these particular circumstances, Congress created the Grants to Reduce Violent Crimes Against Women on Campus Program. The program implements certain provisions of the Higher Education Amendments of 1998, as reauthorized by Congress in the Violence Against Women Act of 2000.

The program’s primary purpose is to develop and strengthen victim services in cases involving violent crimes against women on campuses. It also aims to strengthen security and investigative strategies to prevent and prosecute violent crimes against women on campuses.

All Penn State offices involved in this collaboration have long provided services to help victims. However, the funding grant has enabled them to allocate training and staff specifically for this issue. For instance, a full-time sexual assault counselor is now on duty at the Counseling and Psychological Services, as are additional women's health staff in University Health Services.

Other benefits provided by the grant include:

• training provided by the Centre County Women's Resource Center for faculty and staff on how to intervene with students they suspect have been sexually assaulted;
• offering a curriculum designed to teach hearing officers who work for Judicial Affairs about sexual assaults against women. This course is required across the Penn State system; and
• reaching out to all students with information about sexual assault through classroom visits and partnerships with the Interfraternity Council, the Undergraduate Student Government and Athletics. It has also educated underserved students such as minorities, practitioners of various religious faiths and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered individuals.

"These programs will live beyond this grant," Lorah says. "Other schools are now using us as a model. And we're certainly hearing from students that they appreciate these services."

Visit the CWS web site more information on Penn State's Violence Against Women on Campus Grant.

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