The World Bank is offering up to $1.2 million in research grants to help prevent global sexual violence in the memory of slain University of Virginia student Hannah Graham.
According to the Washington Post, grants up to $150,000 each will be provided in cooperation with the Sexual Violence Research Initiative and will go to researchers examining prevention efforts in low- and middle-income countries.
The competition for proposals is sponsored by an anonymous donor in Graham’s memory. Graham’s father, John Graham, is an environmental specialist at the World Bank’s International Finance Corp.
The World Health Organization estimates that more than one-third of all women around the world have suffered gender-based violence.
Hannah Graham, 18, was starting her sophomore year at UVA. when she went missing in the early morning hours of Sept. 13, 2014. Her body was found more than a month later in Albemarle County.
Jesse Lee Matthew Jr. of Charlottesville has been charged with capital murder in the case. His trial is slated to begin in July 2016.
The applications for the World Bank grants are open until Dec. 9, and recipients of the new research grants will be announced in April.
