Virginia Anti-Violence Project

Virginia Anti-Violence Project, doing business as Vavp, is a non-profit organization and community development corporation registered to receive federal awards since December 23, 2008. The organization specializes in providing culturally specific services to the LGBTQIA+ community, with a particular focus on transgender, nonbinary, and LGBQIA+-identified survivors of various forms of violence. Vavp takes an intersectional approach, emphasizing racial and disability justice in their work. Their diverse LGBTQ+ staff is trained in trauma-informed advocacy, allowing them to offer specialized support to survivors of hate/bias-motivated violence, intimate partner violence, sexual violence, dating violence, and stalking.

Through federal grant sub-awards, Vavp has been involved in several initiatives aimed at supporting the LGBTQIA+ community. One of their primary focuses has been identifying and providing culturally specific support to LGBTQIA+ survivors of sexual and domestic violence, with a particular emphasis on Black and Latinx individuals. In one project, they aimed to serve 53 survivors. Vavp has also been engaged in broader domestic violence services. Their grant funding has come through partnerships with state-level agencies, including the Department of Criminal Justice Services Virginia and the Virginia Department of Social Services. These collaborations have enabled Vavp to extend their reach and impact across the state, positioning them as a crucial resource for LGBTQIA+ individuals experiencing various forms of violence and discrimination.