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University of Iowa to absorb Rape Victim Advocacy Program services into Domestic Violence Intervention Program • Iowa Capital Dispatch [1]

['Brooklyn Draisey', 'Robin Opsahl', 'More From Author', '- April']

Date: 2024-04 

The University of Iowa plans to absorb its Rape Victim Advocacy Program into the school’s Domestic Violence Intervention Program.

The RVAP provides services and resources to people both in and outside of the UI community, including advocacy, counseling and prevention education programs, according to a news release from the university. The sexual assault services currently offered by RVAP will be taken on by the the Domestic Violence Intervention Program by Sept. 30, and those using services will not see any interruptions.

“RVAP and DVIP are both long standing agencies. Our shared goal is to position RVAP to thrive in the eight-county region it serves through this transition to DVIP,” said Sarah Hansen, UI vice president for student life, in the release. “The UI will continue to partner with and support RVAP/DVIP both monetarily and through collaborative approaches to end sexual and domestic violence.”

Twelve UI staff members and RVAP employees are affected by this transition, university spokesperson Chris Brewer said in an email, including six that are directly impacted by the staff reduction, two who were previously notified that they would be laid off due to reductions in funding and grant discontinuations. Four of the staff members are “specified term employees,” Brewer said, whose terms were to end June 30.

Staff whose employment was terminated as a result of the transition were notified in-person after it was approved, Brewer said, and the whole staff was told over email.

This change will not impact the ability of students, staff and faculty to access services, which will remain free and confidential. According to the release, between July 2023 and March 2024, 11% of direct services and 7% of crisis calls came from people connected to the UI.

Both organizations serve a region of southeast Iowa that includes Cedar, Des Moines, Henry, Iowa, Johnson, Lee, Van Buren, and Washington counties.

“This transition is another step toward improving access to services for victim-survivors of gendered violence and abuse. DVIP has partnered with RVAP and the University of Iowa for more than 40 years,” said Kristie Fortmann-Doser, executive director of DVIP, in the release. “Our goal during this transition is the continuity of care for victims-survivors. We will accomplish this with the expertise and commitment of our staff, funders, coalitions and community partners throughout our eight-county service area.”

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[1] Url: https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/briefs/university-of-iowa-to-absorb-rape-victim-advocacy-program-services-into-domestic-violence-intervention-program/

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