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Attorney General Mike DeWine
Applications
for Campus Sexual Assault Victim Advocacy Grants no being accepted
(COLUMBUS, Ohio)— Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine announced today
that his office is now accepting grant applications for several million
dollars in competitive grant funds that will be directed towards
strengthening sexual assault victim advocacy programs on the campuses
of Ohio's colleges and universities.
The $3 million in Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) grants, which were
announced by Attorney General DeWine in June, are part of several
initiatives launched by the Ohio Attorney General's Office to help
Ohio's colleges and universities respond better to sexual assaults.
Ohio's public and private colleges and universities, as well as
non-profit organizations that work with survivors of campus sexual
assault, are eligible to apply for the grants. The funding will
be used to provide direct victim services, such as crisis response,
hospital advocacy, criminal justice advocacy, and campus judicial
system advocacy, to survivors of sexual assaults that take place on
Ohio campuses.
"Survivors of sexual assault deserve access to extensive victim
services, no matter where they live in this state and regardless of
whether the assault happens on campus or off," said Attorney General
DeWine. "I urge agencies that want to provide increased victim
advocacy services to apply for the funding."
Those who qualify can apply for the grants online via the Ohio Attorney
General's website. Grant applications are due by 5:00 p.m. on Monday,
August 31, 2015. Awards will be announced in September.
Those needing guidance on the grant application process can attend one
of two webinars next week that will discuss the grant application
system and grant review procedures. Those interested in signing
up for a webinar must register in advance on the Attorney General's
website.
Other efforts by the Attorney General's Office to assist colleges and
universities in responding to campus sexual assaults include a series
of free Campus Sexual Assault Investigation Training courses provided
by the Attorney General's Ohio Peace Officer Training Academy.
Training courses have been held at Bowling Green State University, The
Ohio State University, Ohio University, The University of Akron, and
Miami University. Training will also take place at Ohio Wesleyan
University next week.
The Attorney General's Office also created memorandum of understanding
materials for use by schools to develop agreements with law
enforcement, prosecutors, and victim service providers. The
materials can be used to help clearly define each party's role when a
sexual assault is reported because law enforcement investigations and
campus disciplinary proceedings often occur simultaneously.
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