Examining the Impact of Federal Grants to Reduce Violent Crimes Against Women on Campus

Sexual assault on college campuses is persistently underreported; therefore, Clery Act sexual assault statistics are not strong indicators of incidence. Instead, they may indicate whether students feel comfortable reporting on a particular campus. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of the Office on Violence Against Women Campus Grant on sexual assault statistics by using propensity score matching. The results suggest that applying for the grant (whether or not it was received) is associated with a 16–22% increase in reporting while receiving the grant was associated with a 24% increase. Implications for policy, practice, and future research are addressed.