The grants to reduce domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking on campus program (campus program) is authorized by 34 U.S.C. 20125

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:

1. Developing culturally-appropriate and linguistically-accessible materials to provide information on prevention and intervention services both on and off campus.
2. Creating population-specific strategies and support services for diverse student populations, including a LGBTQ+ support group.
3. Providing tailored trainings that are culturally specific for African American students and inclusive of individuals with disabilities and unique gender identities.
4. 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.

The program provides a unique opportunity for institutions of higher education to establish multidisciplinary approaches to combat domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking on campuses. These comprehensive efforts are designed to enhance victim services (including legal services), implement prevention and education programs, and develop and strengthen security and investigation strategies to prevent, prosecute, and respond to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. The campus program supports activities that develop campus-based coordinated responses among campus victim services, campus law enforcement, health care providers, housing officials, administrators, student leaders, faith-based organizations, student organizations, and disciplinary boards, and enhance victim safety and assistance and hold offenders accountable. To be effective, these responses must be linked to local law enforcement agencies, prosecutors offices, courts, and nonprofit, nongovernmental victim advocacy and victim services organizations. Mississippi valley state university is a public, historically black university located in ITA bena, MS. With this continuation award, mississippi valley state university, in collaboration with our house, INC. And the greenwood police department (GPD) will continue to meet the statutory and programmatic requirements. In addition, the project will: 1) develop culturally appropriate and linguistically accessible materials that provide information on available prevention and intervention services on and off campus; 2) develop population specific strategies and supports for victims to include a support group for lgbtq+ individuals; 3) provide trainings that will be culturally specific for african americans and inclusive of individuals with disabilities and unique gender identities; and 4) advance racial equity through recruiting black peer educators to assist with the implementation of the project.