Schumer Announces Over $199,000 For SUNY Fredonia To Combat Violence Against Women On Campus

U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today announced that $199,996 has been awarded to the State University of New York (SUNY) Fredonia from the U.S. Department of Justices (DOJ) Grants to Reduce Violent Crimes Against Women on Campus Program. This money will be used to improve efforts aimed at prevention of violent crimes against women and victim response programs.

This is great news for SUNY Fredonia, said Schumer. Women should be able to feel safe on college campuses and should not have to think twice about reporting abuse. This funding will help SUNY at Fredonia provide a secure community for its students and offer many services for victims of domestic violence. I will continue to fight to ensure that our schools have the tools they need to provide a comfortable learning and living environment.

The State University of New York Fredonia project, Campus Education, Awareness, Support and Effect (CEASE II), will expand and enhance its efforts to provide students with the tools and resources necessary to prevent and combat violence. The grant funds will be used to conduct rape prevention education; provide key training to university police, disciplinary boards, college administrators and other personnel; develop coordinated emergency response and victims support services; provide mandatory student orientation activities and integrated workshops led by peer facilitators; develop an online selfdirected tutorial targeted to administrators and judiciary board members; and implement a SANE training and certification program for area medical personnel.

The Grants to Reduce Violent Crimes Against Women on Campus Program was authorized by the Higher Education Amendments of 1998 and reauthorized by the Violence Against Women Act of 2000. This program allows institutions of higher education to establish multidisciplinary consortia to combat violent crimes against women. These comprehensive efforts are designed to enhance victim services, implement prevention and education programs and develop and strengthen security and investigation strategies in order to prevent and respond to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking crimes on campuses.

In 2005, Schumer fought to reauthorize the 1994 Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). Schumer supported efforts to strengthen the VAWA by expanding grant programs, supporting rural areas, and protecting victims. The original VAWA bill was authored by Schumer in the House of Representatives. This legislation will renew several successful programs and provides funding for training, education and outreach so that state and federal agencies can do a better job of preventing violence against women and assisting victims of domestic violence.