The office on violence against women (OVW) emerging issues and training and technical assistance call for concept papers (call for concept papers)invitedinterested eligible entities to propose…

The U.S. Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) awarded a $750,000 Cooperative Agreement under the OVW Technical Assistance Initiative (CFDA 16.526) to End Violence Against Women (EVAW) International. The funding will support the "Seek Then Speak" project, which aims to enhance and expand an interactive web-based tool for sexual assault survivors to privately gather information, explore options, and initiate the reporting process if desired. Over the 36-month project period, EVAW International will: 1) Conduct virtual community forums to gather survivor and subject matter expert input on improving the tool; 2) Provide individualized training and technical assistance to communities implementing the tool; 3) Host webinars and conference presentations; 4) Develop and disseminate training materials and public awareness resources; 5) Host, maintain, and update the "Seek Then Speak" platform; and 6) Make technological adaptations to better serve diverse survivor populations.

The office on violence against women (OVW) emerging issues and training and technical assistance call for concept papers (call for concept papers)invitedinterested eligible entities to propose projects that explore new and emerging issues and training and technical assistance projects addressing the needs and challenges of OVW grantees, subgrantees, and the larger violence against women field. In particular, with the passage of the violence against women act reauthorization act of 2022 (vawa 2022), PUB. L. No. 117-103, DIV. W, 136 stat. 49, 840-962, OVW sought to identify innovative projects and technical assistance that address the new and revised programs and issues included in vawa 2022, as well as other emerging issues in the fields of sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking. See 34 U.S.C. 12291(B)(11) and (16). OVW reviewed the submitted concept papers, selected promising projects in each of the call for concept papers purpose areas, and contacted selected applicants to invite them to submit a full application for their concept paper through the call for concept papers invitation to apply solicitation. With funding through the OVW FY 2023 emerging issues and training and technical assistance call for concept papers, end violence against women international (EVAWI) will implement seek then speak: a survivor-centered alternative pathway to justice and services project. The goal of the project is to enhance and expand the utilization of seek then speak, an interactive web-based tool for sexual assault survivors to have a new way to privately gather information, explore options, and take action, including beginning the process of reporting their sexual assault to law enforcement, if they choose. Over the course of the project period, EVAWI will: 1) host virtual community forums to seek input from project partners, sexual assault organizations, survivors of sexual assault, and other subject matter experts on how the seek then speak tool can better serve diverse populations; 2) provide individualized training and technical assistance for communities seeking to implement seek then speak; 3) host in-person and/or virtual webinars and conference presentations; 4) develop and disseminate training and technical assistance resources and public awareness materials to promote local utilization of the seek then speak tool; 5) host, maintain, and update the seek then speak platform; and 6) make technological adaptations to the seek then speak tool, as feasible, to better serve survivors from diverse populations. This award supports purpose area 1: emerging issues. The timing for performance of this award is 36 months for $750,000, of which $750,000 will be awarded through the OVW innovation fund.