Established by the Violence Against Women Act of 1994, the STOP Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) Program seeks to develop and implement law enforcement and prosecution strategies to effectively decrease violent crimes against women. These grants also help to develop and enhance services provided to the victims of violent crimes.
In Ohio, the Ohio Office of Criminal Justice Services (OCJS) is responsible for coordinating VAWA funds with local agencies. Funds through VAWA provide systematic and sustained focus on permanent systems change within the Ohio criminal justice system, while simultaneously developing a comprehensive network of domestic violence and sexual assault victim service advocates and programs throughout Ohio communities.
2023 Funding Areas include:
- Law enforcement and prosecution training
- Hiring law enforcement and prosecution staff
- Law enforcement and prosecution policy development
- Data collection and communication systems
- Victim service and visitation programs
- Stalking programs
Projects applying under VAWA must have a collaboration group representing law enforcement, prosecution, victim service providers, and any other applicable agency/representative that will help to inform the project's activities and goals. Ineligible VAWA proposals include activities focusing exclusively on minors (birth-18 years) or prevention; batterer treatment projects; divorce assistance projects, legal separations and child custody projects; and legal or defense services for perpetrators of violence against women.
This program also includes a subprogram, the Culturally Specific Set-Aside Community Based Victim Service Program. STOP funding decisions must take into consideration that 10% of the 30% that is allocated to victim services must be distributed to community-based organizations that provide culturally specific services.
2022 VAWA awards can be viewed at: https://www.ocjs.ohio.gov/static/links/2022-VAWA.pdf
2022 Culturally Specific awards can be viewed at: https://ocjs.ohio.gov/static/links/2022-VAWA-CS.pdf