PLEASE NOTE: This program is not currently accepting applications for funding.
Violence Against Women Act Overview
The VAWA STOP grant program helps to provide victims with the protection and services they need to pursue safe and healthy lives, while improving communities’ capacity to provide justice for victims and hold offenders accountable. This is accomplished by forging state, local and tribal partnerships among police, prosecutors, judges, victim advocates, health care providers, faith leaders, organizations that serve culturally specific and underserved communities, and others.
The VAWA STOP grant is a vital resource that supports a variety of specialized and innovative projects throughout the Commonwealth. Some initiatives supported by these grant funds include:
- Services specifically devoted to preventing, identifying, and responding to violent crimes against women;
- Training opportunities for judiciary, court, and probation personnel, in addition to law enforcement and victim service providers;
- Developing partnerships between law enforcement and victim service providers to provide compassionate outreach to victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence and stalking; and
- Supporting prosecutors working closely with victim witness advocates, probation, law enforcement, and state agencies to target high-risk cases and increase offender accountability.
Additional Resources
Violence Against Women Act Advisory Committee
The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) Advisory Committee is composed of a multi-disciplinary group of professionals from prosecution, law enforcement, public health, sexual assault and domestic violence service providers, judiciary and social service agencies. The Committee provides the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security with expertise, guidance and recommendations to assist in the development of a statewide implementation plan and identification of need in the areas of domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking.