MEMPHIS, Tenn — Memphis is getting more than $1 million to help curb sexual assault and domestic violence in the community.
The grant is coming from the U.S. Department of Justice and is expected to be finalized on Wednesday.
Police respond to more than 40 domestic violence calls every day in Memphis on average and it makes up more than half of the violent crime in our city.
“This is one of those really hard issues where you always with you could do more,” said Councilman Worth Morgan.
Which is why he’s happy the city is receiving the DOJ grant.
“It won’t go to the testing of rape kits or the sexual assault kits, but it will go towards education and to other materials and supplies,” said Councilman Morgan.
He says it will help public awareness campaigns, like the “No More Campaign” in Memphis that aims to end domestic violence and sexual assault.
It’s a movement that launched two years ago to change the public dialogue and the amount of violence in our city.
“It’s a conversation that’s happening in Memphis. It’s happening on the University of Memphis campus. We’ve seen it happen nationally with a number of issues and people that are going on now.”
The grant is linked to the Sexual Assault Kit Initiative where the city was also awarded nearly $2 million to test thousands of unsubmitted rape kits dating back to the 1970’s.
WREG first uncovered the backlog in 2010.
Although this new grant won’t go to testing kits, the conversation is still very relevant in our community.
A former Memphis police lieutenant is scheduled to give new testimony on Wednesday about the rape kit backlog and problems associated with it, from an insider’s perspective.
It’s expected to shed new light on the long-time problem. WREG will have full coverage of it on Wednesday.
