Rural Sexual Assault Response Teams
Rural Sexual Assault Response Teams
The Sexual Violence Justice Institute (SVJI) is a national program operating within the Minnesota Coalition Against Sexual Assault (MNCASA). SVJI creates long-term sustainable systems responses to sexual violence that meet the specific needs of each community. Since 2013, we have provided those awarded with OVW rural grants the support and assistance they need to improve their multi-disciplinary collaborations. We develop resources, tools, and provide one-on-one assistance that honors the strength and creativity of rural communities while also addressing the challenges that come with living in rural places.
OVW Rural grant recipients and other rural communities have access to attending SVJI events, offering in-person trainings, accessing webinars and resources, receiving one-on-one assistance, and get in-depth support to build up their response.
Through our years of experience and your expertise in your community, we will work together to craft the information and resources you need to support and sustain collaborative, multi-disciplinary teams like a Sexual Assault Response Team in your community. We look forward to being a resource as well as connecting you to other national technical assistance providers. Connect with us through the form below or you can call or email our team. Let’s do great work, together.
The Rural Sexual Violence Response National Conference
Hosted by the Sexual Violence Justice Institute at MNCASA, the Rural Sexual Violence Response National Conference is a biannual conference that brings together sexual violence responders from across the country to build stronger multidisciplinary teams and create effective team processes. The goal of the conference is to guide multidisciplinary teams through the development, implementation, and evaluation of their community’s response to sexual violence.
Connection Calls
Our Connection Calls are monthly virtual discussions focused on addressing the current needs of sexual assault response teams (SARTs) and connecting SART leaders and coordinators nationally. Connection Calls are hosted in collaboration with the National SART TTA project.
Past topics of Connection Calls include:
- SARTs and Rural SANE Programs
- Planning for Sexual Assault Awareness Month
- Meeting Facilitation
- Onboarding New Team Members
Join us for our next call!
Rural Realities Blog Posts
What Does Personal Identifying Information Mean in a Small Town?
By Katelyn Page Personal Identifying Information (PII) refers to any details that can be used to identify an individual. In most contexts, PII is…
The Weight of Witness: Reflections of a SART Coordinator
By Katelyn Page Being a Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) coordinator is a role that carries immense responsibility and emotional weight. It’s a position…
Community Buy-in for Your SART Team
By Amy Beckius Johnson and Katelyn Page Sexual violence is often a difficult and uncomfortable topic for communities to discuss. Raising awareness and garnering…
Featured Tools & Resources
Sexual Assault Response Team Starter Kit: A Guide for New SART Teams
Sexual Assault Response Teams (SARTs) play a powerful role in improving the collective response to sexual violence through increasing access to healing and justice. SART…
A Ten-Factor Framework for Sexual Assault Response Team Effectiveness
Systems-change sexual assault response teams (SARTs) are community-based multidisciplinary teams (MDTs) that work to create long-term improvements to local systems of response to sexual violence.
Sexual Assault Response Teams & Systems Change
What is a SART? A Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) is one strategy a community can use to improve their systems response to sexual violence.
Virtual 40-Hour Sexual Assault Advocacy Training
***This free training is open only to MNCASA members. If you are not a member and would like to become a member, learn…
Member-Hosted Event: Sexual Assault Advocacy Training (SOS Sexual Violence Services)
SOS’s sexual assault advocacy training includes online content in addition to the following in-person sessions: Tuesday, April 7, 2026 | 6:00PM – 9:00PM Thursday,…
Contact us for more information about rural trainings and support.
This project was supported by Grant No. 2015-TA-AX-K014 awarded by the Office on Violence Against Women, U.S. Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, conclusions, and recommendations expressed in this publication/program/exhibition are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women.