Senator, Board of Trustees member secures funding to support deaf victims of sexual violence and assault 

U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown, a Public Member of the Gallaudet University Board of Trustees, announced earlier this fall that he had secured $1,327,500 to two Ohio organizations to support survivors of sexual violence and assault. These investments will improve collaboration between organizations to increase education, safe and accessible care, and advocacy and intervention services for survivors. 

The U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs awarded the funds as Congressionally Directed Spending through the Training and Services to End Violence and Abuse Against Individuals with Disabilities and Deaf People Program. Sen. Brown requested and secured this funding. 

 Of this amount, $607,500 was awarded to the Cleveland Rape Crisis Center to enhance a multidisciplinary team known as Deaf Pathways that provides accessible services to Deaf survivors through collaboration with partner organizations, increasing education on the intersection of trauma-informed practice and Deaf culture, and providing culturally specific services for Deaf survivors inclusive of multiple disabilities and cultural and racial identities. The remaining $720,000  was awarded to the Ohio Domestic Violence Network to support survivors that have disabilities related to brain injuries that are directly caused by domestic violence or sexual assault, especially in rural areas of Ohio and other underserved populations. 

“Every Ohioan should feel safe in their homes, in their workplace and in their communities. Local Ohioans are doing important work helping survivors on the road to recovery from violent crimes and abuse,” said Brown. “It’s why we worked to secure this investment to support survivors and to prevent violence in our community.” 

Sen. Brown has been a Public Member of the Board of Trustees since 2008. 

The information in this article was provided by Sen. Brown’s office.