Using A Ten-Factor Framework for SART Effectiveness for STOP Grant Making Strategies

The Services * Training * Officers * Prosecutors (STOP) Violence Against Women Formula Grant works to improve the legal response to violent crimes against women and strengthen victim services responding to these crimes in all 56 states and territories. Under the 2013 reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act, STOP administrators must distribute at least 20% of their state or territory’s STOP funding to meaningfully address sexual assault across at least two of the STOP allocation areas (victim services, law enforcement, prosecution, and the courts).

Systems change sexual assault response teams are an important way communities can improve the response to sexual assault. Funding these teams is one way STOP administrators can ensure their state or territory meets or surpasses the 20% sexual assault set aside, as these teams improve many different responders’ abilities to support victims/survivors.

Systems change sexual assault response teams (SARTs) are community-based multidisciplinary teams that work to create long-term improvements to the local response to sexual violence. SARTs work to coordinate the response and improve the overall experience victims/survivors have with criminal legal responders and service providers. They also enable communities to maximize their available resources and improve relationships between institutions like law enforcement, victim services, prosecution, and local hospitals.

The Sexual Violence Justice Institute at the Minnesota Coalition Against Sexual Assault (SVJI @ MNCASA) worked with several SARTs across the country to create A Ten-Factor Framework for Sexual Assault Response Team Effectiveness, a report identifying 6 internal characteristics and 4 external characteristics important to SART effectiveness, to support SARTs and STOP administrators. Before using this resource, it may be helpful to review that report. This resource supplements the Ten-Factor Framework report and can help STOP administrators be able to use the findings to fund and support SARTs as part of their grant making strategy.