San Diego State University Cultural Resource Centers Strengthened by U.S. Department of Justice Grant for Gender-Based Violence Project

The Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) “provides federal leadership in developing the national capacity to reduce violence against women and administer justice for and strengthen services to victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking,” according to the mission statement. The Biden Administration has supported efforts to address gender-based violence, including the 2023 release of the National Plan to End Gender-Based Violence.

With the OVW’s inaugural grant program “Strengthening Culturally Specific Campus Approaches to Address Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking Initiative,” SDSU was awarded one of 12 grants valued at nearly $6M.

The grant work aims to inform substantive policy change through assessment, development, and implementation of culturally responsive support for student communities.

“We want to make sure that all of our practices are trauma-informed, survivor-informed, and culturally relevant,” Casper said. “Many campus programs and services both at SDSU and elsewhere are standardized, and yet we know that one size does not fit all.”

“SDSU is nationally recognized for providing Hispanic and other underrepresented student populations with culturally appropriate resources and support to succeed academically and also to aid in their mental and physical well-being,” said SDSU President Adela de la Torre. “Gender-based violence transcends ethnicities and ancestry, and we are grateful for the opportunity to address the issue side by side with the Department of Justice and the Office on Violence Against Women.”

In her work, Casper notes that responses to sexual assault and harassment issues often do not take into account the needs of minoritized populations. This grant project will focus on culturally specific approaches to support our diverse campus community in partnership with nine resource centers at SDSU: Asian Pacific Islander, Desi American; Black Resource Center; Center for Intercultural Relations; Latinx Resource Center; Native Resource Center; Pride Center; Women’s Resource Center; Graduate Life and Diversity (GLAD); and Undocumented Resource Center.

The grant is part of numerous efforts being undertaken through Casper’s role as special assistant to the president, including the ongoing work of the Blue Ribbon Task Force. “We will be researching and recommending best practices nationally around these issues and it is critical to center diversity in this work,” Casper said.

Tonika Green, associate vice president for campus community affairs, division of Student Affairs and Campus Diversity said, “Our students are at our core and this grant provides an opportunity for us to continue to show them that they matter, their safety matters, their experiences matter, and their access to critical resources that address and combat sexual violence matters.”