The Mississippi Valley State University (MVSU) has been awarded a $400,000 Project Grant under the Grants to Reduce Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking on Campus Program (CFDA #16.525) by the U.S. Department of Justice's Office on Violence Against Women. Through this 3-year grant, MVSU, in collaboration with its community partners O.U.R. House, Inc. and the Greenwood Police Department, will implement a comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach to address these crimes on campus. Key activities include:
Developing culturally-appropriate and linguistically-accessible materials to provide information on prevention and intervention services both on and off campus.
Creating population-specific strategies and support services for diverse student populations, including a LGBTQ+ support group.
Providing tailored trainings that are culturally specific for African American students and inclusive of individuals with disabilities and unique gender identities.
Advancing racial equity by recruiting Black peer educators to assist with project implementation.
The grant aims to enhance victim services, implement prevention and education programs, and strengthen security and investigation strategies to combat domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking on MVSU's campus.