At the same time, the evaluation uncovered several areas for improvement. For example, many communities and states need more programmatic attention to women victims of sexual assault and stalking, and more projects in law enforcement and prosecution agencies. In telephone surveys and site visits, respondents indicate that victims are safer, better supported by their communities, and treated more uniformly and sensitively by first-response workers, among other benefits. There has been strong performance in hundreds of communities. Also notable was the growth in programs that provided a coordinated community response.
Collaboration is still the key to systemic change.
Many STOP projects that have placed a major emphasis on collaboration for the purpose of bringing about system change have been successful. The payoffs experienced by communities that have promoted such coordinated responses strongly suggest that more communities and states should follow suit. Victim service projects, the most common type of project funded under STOP, are serving many women who would not previously have been served, through a wide variety of activities. Twenty-nine percent provided group treatment and support, while 22 percent gave emergency financial assistance. When STOP funds have been devoted to sexual assault, most states visited have used the funds to expand specific services for sexual assault victims, not to develop coordinated community responses.