Current Trend & On Campus Movement

Raising awareness and gathering data is just the beginning. Domestic violence often involves both serious and less severe, or "simple," assaults against domestic partners or family members. Recent data from the Council on Criminal Justice (CCJ) indicates that, on average, the reported rate of domestic violence in the first half of 2025 was 3% higher than during the same period in 2024. February (15%) and March (6%) saw the most notable increases compared to the same months in 2024. Overall, the reported rate of domestic violence in the first half of 2025 was 8% lower than in the first half of 2019.

Furthermore, the Grants to Reduce Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, and Stalking on Campus Program (Campus Program) was established by Congress to address the specific issues and challenges that colleges and universities encounter in preventing and responding to sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking.

The Campus Program promotes a comprehensive, coordinated community approach that improves victim safety, offers services for victims, and supports efforts to hold offenders accountable. The funding aids activities that develop and strengthen trauma-informed victim services and strategies to prevent, investigate, and respond to sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking.

The Campus Program provides funds to higher education institutions to develop coordinated community responses. These campus-wide responses should involve campus victim service providers, law enforcement/campus safety officers, health providers, housing officials, administrators, student leaders, faith-based leaders, representatives from student organizations, and disciplinary board members. Campus responses must also connect to local off-campus criminal justice agencies and service providers, including local law enforcement agencies, prosecutors’ offices, courts, and nonprofit, nongovernmental victim advocacy and victim services organizations. Eligible applicants are limited to institutions of higher education.

In 2024, the Campus Program awarded 31 grants totaling $12.19 million. 2025 is currently TBD.