Campus and community agencies came together in an attempt to earn a two-year, nearly $200,000 grant from the Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women.

Dr. Courtney Aberle, coordinator of women’s programs, said if approved, the Grant to Prevent Violence Against Women on Campus will supplement programs already in use. She called the current sexual assault program strong, and said funds will focus on relationship violence and stalking programs and will expand outreach programs directed to women of color and lesbian couples.

Grant paperwork submitted by the March 24 deadline includes a plan for grant funds, an abstract and a proposed budget. The budget includes $5,000 for a campus victim compensation fund. Aberle said under the federal victim’s compensation fund reimbursement can take up to a couple of months to arrive.

“So our thought was we can help people right now, and we can do it quickly and efficiently. That’s why we asked for a little bit of money,” she said.

Under the application proposal, three health educator interns will assist in coordinating campus and outside agencies. This will ensure thorough care without unnecessary duplication. The interns will specialize in family violence, stalking or sexual violence. They will be selected from area graduate programs.

Other budgetary items include educational programs, increased pay for Giddy Up drivers and equipment expenses.

One project detailed in the plan is a safe room on campus. In order to ensure victim privacy and safety, the location of the room will not be disclosed and will be of a nature that, should it be discovered, can be changed.

Aberle said the room will be used for instances in which the victim needs to leave the current place of residence. “We can take that person and immediately have a place to put them that no one else knows about that is in a separate location,” she said.

Sgt. Christine Rodriguez, currently the only sexual assault investigator on campus, said a portion of funds will be used to train another officer in interviewing and investigation of sexual assault. Once trained, this officer will be able to handle assault cases when Rodriguez is unavailable. “She’s going to be my backup,” she said.

Rodriguez said the grant basically brings everyone who has been working individually on the same issue together into a cooperative effort, “Because we’re stronger together than we are separate.”

She said changes on campus will include increased awareness and education, which make a safer community.

A safety committee will oversee projects related to violence against women under the grant. Recently developed in response to recommendations from the President’s Commission on the Status of Women, this committee includes representatives from on campus and off campus agencies. On campus agencies include the Women’s Center, the Dean of Student Life Office, the SMU Police Department and the Department of Multicultural Student Affairs, among others. Off campus agencies listed in the proposal include Dallas Sexual Assault Coalition, which is a collection of 19 area groups devoted to prevention and education of violence against women, the Highland Park United Methodist Church Violence Intervention Program and the University Park Police Department. The committee will keep each agency abreast of what others are doing, which will further communication and streamline effectiveness.

While applicants will not hear results until the end of April or the beginning of May, Aberle said grant approval would make funds available June 1. She said it is a competitive grant, but regardless of approval all programs which do not require additional funding to operate will continue.