ENOLA , Pa., Feb. 3, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has awarded the National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC) $1.5 million in funding for each of its next five fiscal years subject to availability of funds. NSVRC is home to the nation's largest library of resources about sexual violence. In addition, the resource center coordinates Sexual Assault Awareness Month each April, hosts national events, and works with experts across the globe to identify, develop and disseminate information on all aspects of sexual violence prevention and intervention.
"Sexual violence is preventable. The burden it places on the health of victims, their families, and communities makes it a public health problem, although one that can be stopped. Primary prevention — stopping the violence before it begins — is the cornerstone of CDC's Rape Prevention and Education program. We look forward to working with NSVRC over the next five years to advance efforts around the prevention of sexual violence across the country," said Howard Spivak, M.D., director of the Division of Violence Prevention in CDC's Injury Center.
For the next five years, NSVRC will continue to provide assistance and resources designed to prevent sexual violence. Specifically, NSVRC will work with Berkeley Media Studies Group to uncover the most effective ways to educate people about sexual violence, expand messaging around Sexual Assault Awareness Month, help state and local partners evaluate the effectiveness of their work, and co-sponsor the National Sexual Assault Conference, which will be in Pittsburgh in 2014.
"I am pleased that the NSVRC has received this grant to continue and expand upon its important work in preventing sexual violence," said U.S. Sen. Bob Casey (D., Pa.). "The Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape [PCAR] and the NSVRC have done exceptional work with victims of sexual violence and have provided educational and awareness resources to many Pennsylvanians. I am hopeful that they will be able to expand their work with this additional funding."
NSVRC, founded by PCAR, has been funded by the CDC through a cooperative agreement since 1999. For more information, visit www.nsvrc.org, www.facebook.com/nsvrc and www.twitter.com/nsvrc.