Friday, April 18, 2025
4/18/2025
Rape Prevention and Education: Enhancing Capacity for Sexual Violence Prevention in rural counties of South Carolina. - The South Carolina Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault is named on the CDC approved state coalitions list for 2024. This abstract is provided in response to funding opportunity CDC-RFA-CE-24-0068. South Carolina has among the highest rates of sexual and intimate partner violence in the nation, consistently ranking as one of the most dangerous states for women. Those living in rural areas are at even higher risk of victimization. Rural communities function as a multiplier of impact for subgroups such as racial and ethnic minority groups, and sexual and gender minorities. Nearly 50% (20 of 46 counties) of the state is classified as rural/non-metro. These counties are home to approximately 15% of the state’s population; most residents living in poverty live in these rural/non-metro areas. These counties suffer significant lack of access to healthcare; intervention and prevention services, and social structures that support and reinforce risk factors for sexual violence. The purpose of this grant to build and expand infrastructure for sexual violence support and prevention in rural communities, collaborate with key partners and state offices working to prevent sexual violence, and implement targeted sexual violence prevention in rural communities. This grant program will identify information, resources, and tools needed to reduce the disparities and increase health equity in rural/nonmetro counties of South Carolina, starting in 4 targeted counties; Orangeburg, Oconee, Georgetown, and Greenwood. The intended outcomes of this grant program reflect the Coalition’s intention to increase its capacity and build sustainable key partnerships to implement community level prevention approaches including achieving health equity and reducing disparities. Expected outcomes include increased awareness of sexual violence and available resources, access to services, support, advocacy, and resources for victims and at risk individuals, increased points of contact with community partners for rural residents regarding prevention of sexual violence, decreased rates of sexual violence in rural populations, increased access to healthcare for rural residents namely women’s healthcare, and increased ongoing prevention programming and supportive environments in faith-based communities.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).