10 Scholarships For Abuse Victims

It’s a thing of relief to know that there are scholarships for abuse victims in the world. So if you are a victim of abuse in your society, this blog post will highlight some of the available scholarships for you with details on requirements, eligibility criteria, and how to get them.

Any action that is taken to harm an individual repeatedly is known as abuse. Abuse can come in different forms and categories ranging from physical abuse that may come in the form of assault, hitting, slapping, pushing, misuse of medication, restraint, or inappropriate physical sanctions. It can also be psychological abuse, mental abuse, child abuse, sexual abuse, domestic abuse, and many other types of abuse.

Abused victims are always traumatized from the experience and have social apathy and as such, need to be estranged from their abusers to live a better life. Some of these victims of abuse are young teenagers and adults who may still be in school or are interested in academics, and in other to help them, scholarship opportunities are being made available for them to support their dreams and aspirations.

There is a wide range of scholarship opportunities out there for every student such as scholarships for first-year college students and athletic scholarships These are a few of the scholarships we have curated on our platform which guides users to access thousands of different scholarships from different parts of the world for different students.

 In order to get scholarships as a victim of abuse, there are some general criteria you will need to meet, some of which is that you must be a survivor of abuse, and must also stay away from your abuser for a given period of time before you will be eligible to apply for the scholarship. Without further ado, let’s talk about these scholarships in detail.

scholarships for abuse victims

Scholarships for Abuse Victims

The scholarships available for victims of abuse are as follows;

  • Women’s Independence Scholarship Program
  • Women’s Empowerment Scholarship Program – University of Kentucky
  • Patsy Takemoto Mink Education Foundation For Women And Children
  • Battered Women’s Support Services (BWSS)
  • William S. Abell Foundation
  • Peace Over Violence Foundation
  • Mary Kay Ash Charitable Foundation
  • Arellano Scholarship  for Survivors of Domestic Violence
  • Jeannette Rankin National Scholar Grant
  •  Break the Silence Against Domestic Violence (BTSADV) Foundation

1.       Women’s Independence Scholarship Program

The Women’s Independence Scholarship Program, Inc. began as a program of The Sunshine Lady Foundation (SLF) in 1999. The primary intent is to provide assistance to women who are survivors of intimate partner abuse with an education that leads to a living wage and financial self-sufficiency, interrupting the cycle of financial abuse within the larger context of economic justice.

To be eligible for the scholarship opportunity, there are specific criteria you must meet. Their awards range from $500-$2,000 per semester or quarter. For master’s degrees their awards average $1,000 per semester or quarter.

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2.       Women’s Empowerment Scholarship Program – University of Kentucky

The College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Kentucky offers scholarships to women who have experienced intimate partner violence, rape or sexual abuse, dating violence, or stalking at some point during their lives. Each scholarship costs $100,000 to $150,000, funds which are held in a permanent endowment and which provide an annual stipend to Scholarship recipients.

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3.       Patsy Takemoto Mink Education Foundation For Women And Children

Established in 2003, the Patsy Takemoto Mink Education Foundation aims to carry on some of Mink’s most ardent commitments: educational access, opportunity, and equity for low-income women, especially mothers; and educational enrichment for children. The Foundation receives thousands of applications from low-income mothers who are pursuing post-secondary education at all levels.  There are requirements and criteria you must meet before you are given the grant. Some of these are;

  • You must be a woman, at least 17 years of age.
  • You must be a mother, with minor children
  • You must be pursuing a first degree at a postsecondary level of education
  • You must be a low-income earner

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4.       Battered Women’s Support Services (BWSS)

Since 1979, Battered Women’s Support Services has been providing education, advocacy, and support services to assist all victims and survivors in their aim to work towards the elimination of gender-based violence and to work from a feminist perspective that promotes gender equity.

As a feminist voice against violence and oppression, BWSS is a strong, dynamic organization that provides support and advocacy for women who have experienced abuse, as well as community education and training about violence against women. Part of a global feminist anti-violence movement, their long-term goal is the elimination of all violence against women and girls.

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5.       William S. Abell Foundation

The Foundation was established in 1985 by William S. Abell and  Patricia O’Callaghan Abell to support qualified organizations in providing aid to people in need in the District of Columbia and nearby Maryland counties. The William S. Abell Foundation is a family foundation that supports organizations in the DC area focused on homelessness, hunger, domestic violence, at-risk pregnant women, persons with intellectual disabilities, and the arts.

The William S. Abell Foundation was founded and operates in accordance with the principles of the Roman Catholic Church and does not support organizations that fund or perform abortions or organizations that have a policy or program that refer clients seeking an abortion to groups or health clinics that fund or perform abortions. For clarity, they support organizations that provide holistic services to the most vulnerable including programs that assist women in need to give birth to healthy babies and to assist both the mother and baby thereafter as necessary.

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6.       Peace Over Violence Foundation

Established in 1971 by pioneering feminist activists, Peace Over Violence is a sexual and domestic violence, intimate partner stalking, child abuse, and youth violence prevention center headquartered in Los Angeles. POV is committed to social service, social change, and social justice. POV’s innovative and comprehensive programs include Emergency, Intervention, Prevention, Education, and Advocacy services and are offered in Los Angeles and the 22 cities within the West San Gabriel Valley.

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7.       Mary Kay Ash Charitable Foundation

Guided by Mary Kay Ash’s dream to enrich the lives of women everywhere, the Mary Kay Ash Foundation raises and distributes funds to invest in breakthrough cancer research and clinical trials to find a cure for women-related cancers and end domestic violence. Since 1996, the Mary Kay Ash Foundation a 501(c)3 organization, has contributed more than $92 million to organizations aligned with its two-fold mission.

In addition, the Foundation supports awareness initiatives, and community outreach programs, and advocates for legislation to ensure women are healthy and safe. Through their global charitable foundations in Brazil, Canada, China, and the United States, they are collectively making a deeper impact on the lives of women around the world.

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8.       Arellano Scholarship for Survivors of Domestic Violence

Arizona State University Foundation funds this scholarship in partnership with the donor. Applicants must be survivors of domestic violence as documented by a letter of reference from a counselor or clergy.  This scholarship requires eligible applicants to demonstrate financial need.

In order to determine your eligibility, you must submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by the scholarship deadline. The amount for the scholarship varies. The other criteria are a minimum GPA of 3.00, enrollment must also be full-time. This scholarship is currently accepting applications for the 2024-2025 academic year.

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9.       Jeannette Rankin National Scholar Grant

The Jeannette Rankin Foundation offers two unrestricted non-tuition grants for students who identify as women or nonbinary and demonstrate financial need. Students from across the United States who are 35 or older, pursuing a technical or vocational education, an associate’s degree, or a first bachelor’s degree with an accredited U.S. institution may be eligible for the Jeannette Rankin National Scholar Grant.

National Scholar Grants are distributed directly to recipients and are renewable for up to five years. For residents of Georgia and Montana who are 25 or older, they offer the Emerge Grant.

Different from traditional scholarships, these Scholar Grants are awarded directly to students. Rankin Foundation Scholars can use their funding to cover tuition, fees, books, supplies, transportation, childcare, or other living expenses while they’re in school. Scholars may be eligible to renew their grant for up to five years.

Receiving a Scholar Grant is much more than a financial reward. Grant recipients enter a Sisterhood of Rankin Foundation Scholars, where they have access to coaching, case management, and the support of alumnae and others who are actively transforming their futures. Rankin Foundation Scholars far exceed their demographic’s national average in continuing their education and achieving their degree.

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10.   Break the Silence Against Domestic Violence (BTSADV) Foundation

The BTSADV Foundation provides a community of resources and support services to victims, survivors, and families affected by domestic violence. By breaking their silence, they aim to create a world without domestic violence where every man, woman, and family can feel safe and protected. There are also opportunities for donating to the foundation.

They have developed a unique organization that bridges the gap in services between emergency shelters, direct service providers, government agencies, academic institutions, businesses, and the community. Each program they offer is designated to empower, educate, and fulfill survivors’ and families’ needs through safe, dependable, and connective resources

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Conclusion

It is worth noting that the grants given by some of the foundations and fundraising organizations mentioned here can be used for educational purposes by the awardees and participants. Some of them also provide education for the victims of abuse themselves.

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