Using STOP Funding to Meaningfully Address Sexual Violence

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. The funding is spread across four allocation areas–25% for law enforcement, 25% for prosecutors, 30% for victim services (of which at least 10% must be distributed to culturally specific community-based organizations), and 5% to state and local courts–with the remaining 15% for discretionary distribution within the enumerated purpose areas. Under the 2013 reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), states and territories must direct at least 20% of their STOP funding to meaningfully address sexual assault in at least two of the four allocation areas.