Arizona gets nearly $1 million to support victims of sexual assault

PHOENIX — Arizona is getting nearly $1 million in federal funding to support victims of sexual assault, the U.S. Department of Justice announced Tuesday.

The DOJ’s Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) issued 56 grants totaling nearly $52 million to every state plus the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.

Arizona’s portion of the OVW Sexual Assault Services Formula Grant Program (SASP) came out to $998,096.

The 2023 SASP funding total was 45% larger than the previous year.

“This significant release of SASP funds reflects our unwavering resolve to combat sexual assault,” Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta said in a press release.

“It represents our dedication to supporting rape crisis centers and other organizations that provide trauma-informed services and counseling, training advocates and ensuring that every survivor receives assistance tailored to their unique needs.”

The grant program started when Congress reauthorized the Violence Against Women Act in 2005.

“We at the Office on Violence Against Women recognize the importance of strengthening a robust community-wide response in aiding survivors of sexual violence,” OVW Director Rosie Hidalgo said in the release.

“This collective effort ensures that survivors are not just heard, but that they are fully supported in accessing safety, healing and justice.”

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