Univ. of Iowa’s RVAP to close, services to continue with Iowa City domestic violence agency

IOWA CITY, Iowa (KCRG) - Over 50 years after first opening its doors, the University of Iowa’s Rape Victim Advocacy Program, also known as RVAP), is set to close.

The University announced last Thursday the Iowa City-based Domestic Violence Intervention Program, also known as DVIP, will absorb RVAP’s services.

Those services include a crisis line, access to sexual assault resources, and direct support from advocates at the hospital and police stations.

The University says none of these resources will go away as a result of the transition.

Though, one RVAP employee says without a university affiliated organization, some students might miss out on the support they need.

“I think saying ‘Oh, not enough students are using it,’ but then also sending out alert, after alert, after alert that students are getting assaulted is kind of counterintuitive.” said Olivia Brown, an On-Call Staffer with RVAP.

According to the University of Iowa, only 11% of RVAP’s direct services were used by university students or staff from July 2023 to March 2024.

Twelve RVAP staffers will lose their jobs before October as a result of the transition.

“I’m a UIowa student, I get a hawk alert almost every weekend saying there was a sexual assault happening in the dorms. I know these things happen. And I know that if we get rid of an organization that specifies in helping students - when I know that every other weekend a student is getting assaulted in the dorms - you know, it’s kinda just like, what’s the point?” said Brown.

According to the University of Iowa, services will still be provided by the University until September 30th, when they will complete the transition to be fully under DVIP. Both DVIP and University officials say clients should not experience any interruption during this transition, as the only thing that will change is the organization that provides them

EDITOR’S NOTE: When this story aired in the 10pm Newscast on 4/8/2024, it incorrectly stated services would cease as of September 30th, 2024. This is incorrect, and this article has been updated accordingly.