The STOP Violence Against Women (VAWA) Grant Program

The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), enacted by Congress, is set out in Title IV of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994.  The Act provides financial assistance to States for developing and strengthening effective law enforcement and prosecution strategies and victim services in cases involving violent crimes against women. 

The goal of STOP (Services*Training*Officers*Prosecutors) Violence Against Women Formula Grant Program (STOP VAWA) is to encourage governmental and nongovernmental agencies to restructure and strengthen the Criminal Justice system response to be proactive in dealing with the problem of violence against women; to draw on the experience of all the players in the system; and to develop a comprehensive strategy to deal with this complex problem.  STOP VAWA promotes a coordinated, multidisciplinary approach to improve the criminal justice system’s response to violent crimes against women.

The Violence Against Women Act was reauthorized in 2000 (Violence Against Women Act of 2000) and again in 2005 (Violence Against Women and Department of Justice Reauthorization Act of 2005).  Each reauthorization modified program requirements and guidelines.

Federal Program Purpose Areas

          The Violence Against Women Act enumerates the following 14 statutory purposes for which funds may be used:

1.       Training law enforcement officers, judges, other court personnel, and prosecutors to more effectively identify and respond to violent crimes against women, including the crimes of sexual assault, domestic violence, and dating violence.

2.       Developing, training, or expanding units of law enforcement officers, judges, other court personnel, and prosecutors specifically targeting violent crimes against women, including sexual assault and domestic violence.

 3.      Developing and implementing more effective police, court, and prosecution policies, protocols, orders, and services
          devoted to preventing, identifying, and responding to violent crimes against women, including sexual assault and
          domestic violence.

 4.      Developing, installing, or expanding data collection and communication systems, including computerized systems linking
          police, prosecution, and the courts or for the purpose of identifying and tracking arrests, protection orders, violations
          of protection orders, prosecutions, and convictions for violent crimes against women, including the crimes of sexual
          assault and domestic violence.

 5.      Developing, enlarging, or strengthening victim services programs, including sexual assault, domestic violence, and
         dating violence programs; developing or improving the delivery of victim services to underserved populations; providing
          specialized domestic violence court advocates in courts where a significant number of protection orders are granted;
          and increasing reporting and reducing attrition rates for cases involving violent crimes against women, including sexual
          assault, domestic violence, and dating violence.

 6.      Developing, enlarging, or strengthening programs addressing stalking.

 7.      Developing, enlarging, or strengthening programs addressing the needs and circumstances of Indian tribes in dealing
         with violent crimes against women, including sexual assault and domestic violence.

 8.      Supporting formal and informal statewide, multidisciplinary efforts, to the extent not support by state funds, to
          coordinate the response of state law enforcement agencies, prosecutors, courts, victim services agencies, and other
          state agencies and departments, to violent crimes against women, including the crimes of sexual assault, domestic
          violence, and dating violence.

 9.      Training of sexual assault forensic medical personnel examiners in the collection and preservation of evidence,
          analysis, prevention, and providing expert testimony and treatment of trauma related to sexual assault.

 10.     Developing, enlarging, or strengthening programs to assist law enforcement, prosecutors, courts, and others to
          address the needs and circumstances of older and disabled women who are victims of domestic violence or sexual
          assault, including recognizing, investigating, and prosecuting instances of such violence or assault and targeting
          outreach and support, counseling, and other victim services to such older and disabled individuals.

 11.     Providing assistance to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault in immigration matters.

 12.     Maintaining core victim service and criminal justice initiatives, while supporting complementary new initiatives and
          emergency services for victims and their families. 

 13.     Supporting the placement of special victim assistants (to be known as “Jessica Gonzales Victim Assistants”) in local
          law enforcement agencies to serve as liaisons between victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault,
          and stalking and personnel in local law enforcement agencies in order to improve the enforcement of protection
          orders.  Jessica Gonzales Victim Assistants shall have expertise in domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault,
          or stalking and may undertake the following activities:

 14.     To provide funding to law enforcement agencies, nonprofit nongovernmental victim services providers, and State and
          local governments, (which funding stream shall be known as the Crystal Judson Domestic Violence Protocol Program)
          to promote:

 Federal Program Priority Areas

           The emphasis of the STOP VAWA Program is on the implementation of comprehensive strategies addressing violence against women that are sensitive to the needs and safety of victims and hold offenders accountable for their crimes.  Programs should seek to carry out these strategies by forging lasting partnerships between the criminal justice system and victim advocacy organizations and by encouraging communities to look beyond traditional resources and to look to new partners to respond more vigorously to domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking crimes, such as faith-based and community organizations.

             Programs are encouraged to develop and support the following two priority areas:

 ·   Implement community-driven initiatives, utilizing faith-based and community organization, to address the
      underserved populations as defined by VAWA, including people with disabilities and elder victims of domestic
      violence, sexual assault, and stalking.

·  Address sexual assault and stalking through services expansion; development and implementation of protocols; training for judges, other court personnel, prosecutors, and law enforcement; and development of coordinated community responses to violence against women.

West Virginia’s Implementation Plan

            It is the mission of the West Virginians Against Violence (WVAV) Committee to increase the awareness and understanding of violence against women and its consequences, reduce the incidence of violence against women, create a safer environment for all women, and provide a collaborative response to the needs of victims of violent crimes against women within West Virginia.

   The following goals and objectives are set forth as an implementation plan for FY 2007 – 2009 to accomplish the mission:

Goal 1: Continue to improve prosecution of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking crimes.

Objective A:  Sustain the number of and enhance the knowledge of assistant prosecuting attorneys committed to the prosecution of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking cases.

Objective B:  Support the use of local protocols in each STOP-funded county to:

•      Support the on-going team approach to prosecution among prosecutors, law enforcement  and victim service advocates;

•      Support evidence-based/victimless prosecutions; and

•      Regularly collect data regarding the disposition of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking cases

Objective C:  Maintain existing STOP-funded prosecution-based advocates.

Objective D:  Use STOP funding, along with other funding, to increase training on the appropriate authorization and use of sex crimes kits.

Objective E:  Raise awareness among VAW-funded prosecutors about all violence against women crimes, not just domestic violence.

Goal 2:  Increase cross training of all professionals and paraprofessionals that impact victims of violence against women.

Objective A:  Develop a statewide model curriculum which should include at a minimum: Dynamics of victimization; Dynamics and legal issues of stalking; dynamics and legal issues of domestic violence; and Collaborative and multidisciplinary response to violence against women.  Special emphasis should be placed on criminal and civil justice system personnel training (judicial, administrative law judges, prosecutors, law enforcement, state bar, etc.)

Objective B:  Continue coordinated community response training to law enforcement officers from the entire state using training teams composed of law enforcement officers, domestic violence advocates and prosecutors. 

Objective C:  Provide annual training to improve coordinated community response for Sexual Assault Response Teams (SART) and Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANE).

Objective D:  Coordinate with the Law Enforcement Training Subcommittee of the Governor’s Committee on Crime, Delinquency and Correction to implement policy and procedures mandating law enforcement within the state to complete domestic violence workshop or seminar within a two to three year period.

Objective E:  Support the efforts of the West Virginia Coalition Against Domestic Violence to train Child Protective Service workers.

Goal 3:  Develop and/or increase effective responses to the needs of victims of violent crimes against women in underserved communities or populations.

Objective A:  Continue the expansion of services and resources for underserved populations, including people with disabilities; elderly victims; victims of racial and ethnic minorities; victims who live in isolated, rural areas; victims with language barriers and victims who are LGBTQQ.

Objective B:  Increase referrals from colleges and universities to domestic violence and sexual assault providers for educational and direct victim services.

Objective C:  Encourage service providers and faith-based communities to coordinate to integrate their services for victims of violent crimes against women.

Goal 4:  Increase public awareness of violence against women and prevention and intervention efforts.

Objective A:  Make a service directory of available services for victims of violent crimes against women available on-line.

Objective B:  Increase public awareness through community forums, educational programs, public advertisements, and distribution of materials.

Objective C:  Develop and distribute domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking public awareness materials to address the needs of underserved populations.

Objective D:  Provide public awareness of violence against women issues at the college and secondary school levels – elementary, middle and high schools.

Goal 5: Increase collaboration and communication among systems, agencies and organizations in their coordinated response to victims of violence against women.

Objective A:  Continue the work of the West Virginians Against Violence Committee to oversee the Violence Against Women Act Program and the Victims of Crime Act Program.

Objective B:  Expand participation and resources on a statewide and local level beyond the traditional criminal justice, court and victim service participants (i.e. defense attorneys, CPS, faith-based community, substance abuse, INS, APS, legislature, legal services, adult protective services, community corrections, education professionals, health professionals, etc.)

Objective C:  Sustain and support the central work of the existing STOP teams and projects.

Objective D:  Evaluate the impact of funded STOP teams on law enforcement, prosecution and victim services statistics and the degree to which interagency relationships have become institutionalized.

Objective E:  Host a STOP/SART team meeting to bring teams together to share success stories and learn from one another.

Objective F:  Increase collaboration between rural health clinics and licensed medical facilities that will conduct sexual assault examinations with their own staff or the assistance of a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner as a consultant and screening for domestic violence.

Objective G:  Victim service providers collaborate with community corrections programs across the state to promote victim issues, including victim safety and accountability.

Goal 6:  To strengthen and expand VAW programs through identified legislation, funding sources, coordination and overall system improvement in this area.

Objective A:  Engage key stakeholders (congressional, private, legislative, SMEs) in a statewide planning processes to reduce and prevent violence against women. Acquire specific recommendations for stakeholders.  Present “State of Violence Against Women and Impact on Children in WV.”

Objective B:  Seek additional funding sources necessary to meet policy requirements, direct services, to women and children victims, and training needs to effectively prevent and respond, in a multi-disciplinary manner, to violence against women victims.

Objective C:  Support legislation that will expand the time limits on criminal protection orders to a minimum of 5 years.

Objective D:  Support legislation that creates a maximum time frame of 48 hours for service of a domestic violence protection order.

Objective E:  Support legislation that will strengthen WV stalking laws by decreasing the criteria necessary for a charge of stalking, clarification of that criterion, and training on implementation of the charges.

Activities that May Compromise Victim Safety

            Ensuring victim safety is the guiding principle of the STOP VAWA Program.  Applicants are strongly discouraged from proposing projects or supporting programs that include any activities that may compromise victim safety such as:

·        Offering perpetrators the option of entering pre-trial diversion programs;

 ·        Mediation or counseling for couples as a systemic response to domestic violence or sexual assault;

 ·        Requiring victims to report sexual assault, stalking, or domestic violence crimes to law enforcement or
          forcing victims to participate in criminal proceedings;

 ·        Court mandated batterer intervention programs that do not use the coercive power of the criminal justice
          system to hold batterers accountable for their behavior;

 ·        Placement of batterers in anger management programs; and

 ·        Procedures that would force victims of domestic violence to testify against their abusers or impose other
          sanctions on them. 

 Confidentiality and Victim Safety

Programs must ensure the safety of victims and their families by protecting the confidentiality and privacy of persons receiving services.  Programs may not disclose any personally identifying information (name, address, other contact information, social security number, date of birth, racial/ethnic/religions identity, or any other combined information that would serve to identify an individual) without the informed, written, reasonably time-limited consent of the person (or guardian in the case of a minor or disabled).  Consent release cannot be given to an abuser of the person.

In the event that release of information is compelled by statutory or court mandate, programs must make reasonable attempts to provide notice to victims affected by the disclosure of information and take steps necessary to protect the privacy and safety of the persons affected by the release of the information.

 Eligible Applicants

             In order to be eligible for STOP VAWA funds, an applicant must meet the following requirements:

1.       A team must be formed that includes at a minimum:  law enforcement, prosecution and a private non-profit, non-governmental victim service provider. The team may include other agencies in the team area that wish to participate.  Only one Team per county will be funded.

All local applications must be submitted as a Team application.  This does not mean that an application has to request funding for all three categories, but the application must provide proof there is an established Team.  As well, the project narrative must include a Team approach.  A memorandum of understanding between victim services (and linguistic and culturally specific organizations, if applicable), law enforcement (including all agencies requesting funds) and prosecution will be required in the application.

Teams must also adhere to all Team guidelines and Protocol requirements as described in a later section of this document.

2.       Programs must be operated by a public agency or a private nonprofit organization.  However, a private nonprofit organization that only provides occasional counseling or services to victims or whose sole purpose is to provide advocacy to the legislature for victims of crime would not qualify for eligibility.

3.       The STOP VAWA requires that each state must distribute their grant funds each year in the following manner:  At least 30 percent to victim services programs (of which 10 percent must be distributed to linguistically and culturally specific community-based organizations), 25 percent must be allocated to law enforcement, 25 percent to prosecution, 5 percent to state or local courts, with the remaining 15 percent allocated as discretionary.  This is a statutory requirement.  These allocations may not be redistributed or transferred to another funding allocation area (with the exception of the discretionary funds, which can be used to supplement other allocation areas)

Non-profit, non-governmental organizations with a documented history of effective work concerning domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking are eligible to apply for the portion designated for nonprofit, nongovernmental victim serves.

Community-based organizations (as defined by VAWA) that offer full linguistic access and culturally specific services and resources, including outreach, collaboration, and support mechanisms primarily directed toward underserved communities such as those communities with language barriers, disabilities, alienage status, racial and ethnic considerations, or age and who have a documented history of effective work with those communities are eligible to apply for the portion designated for culturally specific organizations.  Additionally, to be eligible for this funding category you must meet the following criteria:

•      An organization’s primary mission is to address the needs of an underserved population or the organization has developed a special expertise regarding a particular underserved population.  As well, the organization must do more than merely provide services to an underserved population; rather, it must provide culturally competent services designated to meet the specific needs of the target population.
   

•      At a minimum, an organization must have documented expertise or demonstrated capacity to work effectively on domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault or stalking issues and to work with victims of those crimes OR acquires that expertise through collaboration with another entity.

Governmental victim services programs contracting with nonprofit organizations are eligible to apply for the portion designated for nonprofit, nongovernmental victim services. 

Governmental victim services programs attached to a law enforcement agency or a prosecutor’s office may apply for the portions of funds designated for law enforcement or prosecution.

Governmental victim services programs that are not connected to a law enforcement agency or a prosecutor’s office and are not considered nonprofit organizations may apply for funding through the portion designated as discretionary.  With the exception of a victim services program attached to a probation office, which would be eligible to apply for the portion of funds designated for state or local courts or those designated as discretionary.

4.       Programs shall promote within the community or region served coordinated public and private efforts to aid crime victims.  Because various kinds of services needed by victims of crime are usually provided by a variety of agencies, it is important that these services be coordinated to ensure continuity of support to the victim and to avoid duplicating services.

 5.      Programs shall assist victims in seeking available crime victim compensation benefits through the West Virginia Court of Claims.  Programs will identify and notify potential recipients of the compensation program and assist them with the compensation claim forms.

 6.      Programs must be able to identify and describe the underserved population(s) within their locality and how the population(s) will benefit from the STOP VAWA related services.

7.        Programs must be able to describe how they plan to address the needs, including access to programs, services and information, of populations of individuals whose primary language is not English.

8.         Programs must be able to describe in detail a plan of sustainability of the program in the event that STOP VAWA funds were to be relinquished.  The plan should illustrate the willingness and capacity to continue the program after STOP VAWA funds are no longer available.

9.         State Agencies/Organizations are also eligible for STOP VAWA funds as long as the proposal meets at least one of the Federal and State Program Purpose Areas.  Statewide initiatives do not require a Team application; however, an advisory committee made up of at least a non-profit, non-governmental victim services, prosecution and law enforcement is strongly recommended.

Additionally, State law enforcement, prosecution, and court applicants are required to consult with State and/or local victim service programs during the course of developing their applications in order to ensure that proposed activities and equipment acquisitions are designed to promote the safety, confidentiality, and economic independence of victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking and dating violence. This is a requirement of the grant application.

 For Private Non-Profit Agencies:

 10.     Must have obtained Articles of Incorporation certifying that your agency is registered through the West Virginia   Secretary of State’s Office as a private non-profit agency.

 11.    Must have obtained an IRS Determination Letter certifying that the applicant agency is listed in the Articles of Incorporation and has received separate 501 (c) (3) status.

 Allowable costs include but are not limited to the following:

·         Personnel expenses (direct service)

·         Contractual expenses (portion)

·         Travel/Training expenses

·         Space

·         Telephone

·         Equipment

·         Program material, supplies, etc.

·         Evaluation

·         Data Collection

 Advisory Committee and Subgrantee Information

The West Virginians Against Violence Committee, created in 1995 by the Governor, serves as the advisory board for West Virginia's STOP Violence Against Women Grant Program. The Committee consists of eleven members with representatives from the following disciplines: Law Enforcement, Federal Victim Assistance, Prosecution, Domestic Violence Coalition, Sexual Assault Coalition, Courts, Crime Victim, Child Advocacy, Faith-based Community, and Underserved Populations.

 The following is a history of subgrantees since the inception of the grant program in 1995:

 FY1995 Subgrantees

$406,157 in Fiscal Year 1995 funds were awarded to 9 STOP teams (4 urban and 5 rural) and 3 statewide projects. Statewide projects included: 1) STOP team technical assistance, 2) evaluation, and 3) victim database development.

FY 1996 Subgrantees

$1,067,277 in Fiscal Year 1996 funds were awarded to 21 STOP teams (7 urban and 14 rural) and 3 statewide projects. Statewide projects included: 1) prosecutor and law enforcement training, 2) incident based reporting upgrade, and 3) evaluation.

FY 1997 Subgrantees

$1,159,000 in Fiscal Year 1997 funds were awarded to 23 STOP teams (6 urban and 17 rural) and 3 statewide projects. Statewide projects included: 1) prosecutor and law enforcement training, 2) evaluation, and 3) full faith and credit training.

FY 1998 Subgrantees

$1,152,123 in Fiscal Year 1998 funds were awarded to 28 STOP teams (6 urban and 22 rural) and 5 statewide projects. Statewide projects included: 1) victim service database, 2) evaluation, 3) SART and SANE planning, 4) prosecutor training, and 5) a law enforcement training room.

FY 1999 Subgrantees

$1,183,146 in Fiscal Year 1999 funds were awarded to 28 STOP teams (6 urban and 22 rural) and 4 statewide projects. Statewide projects included: 1) victim service database, 2) evaluation, 3) SART and SANE planning and training, and 4) prosecutor training.

FY 2000 Subgrantees

$1,132,399 in Fiscal Year 2000 funds were awarded to 28 STOP teams (6 urban and 22 rural) and 4 statewide projects. Statewide projects included: 1) victim service database, 2) evaluation, 3) SART and SANE planning and training and 4) prosecutor training.

FY 2001 Subgrantees

$1,045,801 in Fiscal Year 2001 funds were awarded to 28 STOP teams (6 urban and 22 rural) and 5 statewide projects. Statewide projects included:

1) victim service database, 2) evaluation, 3) SART and SANE planning and training, and 4) prosecutor training and 5) judicial training and benchbook development.

FY 2002 Subgrantees

$1,150,812 in Fiscal Year 2002 funds were awarded to 30 STOP teams (6 urban and 24 rural) and 5 statewide projects. Statewide projects included: 1) victim service database, 2) evaluation, 3) SART and SANE planning and training, and 4) prosecutor training and 5) judicial training and benchbook development.

FY 2003 Subgrantees

$1,141,110 in Fiscal Year 2003 funds were awarded to 29 STOP Teams (6 urban and 23 rural) and 4 statewide projects. Statewide projects include: 1) victim service database, 2) SART and SANE planning/training, 3) prosecutor training, and 4) judicial training and benchbook development.

FY 2004 Subgrantees

$1,139,000 in Fiscal Year 2004 funds were awarded to 27 STOP Teams (6 urban and 21 rural) and 6 statewide projects. Statewide projects include: 1) victim service database, 2) SART and SANE planning/training, 3) prosecutor training, 4) judicial training and domestic violence registry development, 5) law enforcement training, and 6) program evaluation.

FY 2005 Subgrantees

$1,120,000 in Fiscal Year 2005 funds were awarded to 26 STOP Teams (6 urban and 20 rural) and 6 statewide projects. Statewide projects include: 1) victim service database, 2) SART and SANE planning and training, 3) prosecutor and prosecution-based advocate training, 4) law enforcement training, 5) court personnel training and maintenance of a domestic violence registry, and 6) the implementation of a statewide SANE project evaluation.

 FY 2006 Subgrantees

$1,149,787 in Fiscal Year 2006 funds were awarded to 23 STOP Teams (5 urban and 18 rural) and 5 statewide projects. Statewide projects include: 1) victim service database, 2) SART and SANE planning/training, 3) prosecutor training, 4) judicial training and domestic violence registry revisions/improvements, revisions of the domestic violence benchbook, and development of a sexual assault and stalking benchbook, and 5) a Statewide SANE project evaluation.

 FY 2007 Subgrantees

$1,060,009 in Fiscal Year 2007 funds were awarded to 22 STOP Teams (5 urban and 17 rural) and 5 statewide projects. Statewide projects include: 1) victim service database, 2) SART and SANE planning/training, 3) prosecutor training, 4) judicial training, revisions of the domestic violence benchbook, development of a sexual assault and stalking benchbook, and implementation of interpreter services to work with violence against women advocates and victims to enhance the current interpreter service for court, and 5) a Statewide SANE project evaluation.

Next Funding Cycle: July 1, 2009 - June 30, 2010 (FY 2008)
New grant applications will not be solicited for the FY 2008 grant funds.

Read our WV Three-Year (FY 2007-2009) STOP Violence Against Women Implementation Plan.

STOP VAWA Monthly Report Forms

VAWA 2008-09 Administration Manual
VAWA Project Directors Memo
Request for Reimbursement
Project Financial Report Form
Financial Recap Form
Monthly Progress Report
Monthly STOP Prosecution Report
Monthly STOP Law Enforcement Report
Monthly Victim Services Statistical Report
Time Sheet (optional)
Travel Expense Form (optional)

Publications for VAWA Grantees

Web sites and online services

Court of Claims - Crime Victims Compensation Fund

Faith-based Victim Assistance

First Response to Victims of Crime (pdf - download)

Forensic Medical Exam Legislation

Institute on Domestic Violence in the African American Community

Minority Community Victim Assistance Handbook

National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges

Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape

Polygraph Testing Legislation

Teen Dating Violence Resource

WV Prosecuting Attorneys Institute - Forensic Fund

WV Foundation for Rape Information and Services (WVFRIS)

WV FRIS Sexual Violence and Stalking - Intervention and Prevention Resources

WV Coalition Against Domestic Violence

WV Supreme Court of Appeals - Domestic Violence Benchbook

Please contact Lora Maynard at (304) 558-8814, extension 216 for more information, or complete the form below. ;