Prevention Tips

Messaging sexual violence prevention is such an important part of our overall strategy, but it can be tricky to create a compelling and hopeful pitch for prevention that will reach a broad audience, while also navigating deeply embedded rape myths & victim blaming.

This the second part in our series on messaging prevention. For this series, we draw from the guidance and toolkits developed in partnership by Raliance and the National Sexual Violence Resource Center with the…

Messaging sexual violence prevention is such an important part of our overall strategy. However, it can be tricky to create a compelling and optimistic pitch for prevention that will reach a broad audience, while also navigating deeply embedded rape myths & victim blaming. That’s why there’s a lot of research about how people hear our messages and what can support greater behavior change. It’s clear that the ways in which we communicate about sexual violence and prevention really matters…

Many sexual violence prevention efforts aim to change individual beliefs and attitudes that contribute to a culture where sexual violence is prevalent. While these strategies are an important piece of the puzzle when it comes to creating social change, a more comprehensive approach that addresses environmental and social factors that lead to these beliefs and attitudes is necessary in preventing sexual violence. Engaging in effective community level prevention is crucial in our efforts to…

While we do have an emerging evidence base for effective prevention programs, it is still relatively limited and may not be appropriate for the community you are working with. Sometimes we hear that a research evidence-base is the most important factor in programming. However here in Washington State, and many other places too, we also prioritize community specific, community-driven prevention initiatives and these do not always have an evidence-base established. This tip shares resources to…

For many of us music can have an important and influential role in our lives. It's more than just a means of enjoyment though, it can also be a platform for communicating social norms. That's why a lot of prevention efforts include media literacy skills. As preventionists, one of our biggest roles is to facilitate meaningful conversations that will help lead communities towards prevention that is personal and more likely to be effective. Therefore before diving right into the fun of…

Commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC) is a form of child sexual abuse. It is sexual activity involving a minor in exchange for something of value, or promise thereof, to the child or another person or persons. The young person is treated as a commercial and sexual object.

Often when schools and communities request a CSEC program this is connected to increased media attention of CSEC or in response to a recent incident. Programming that defines the violence and focuses on…

This tip is about consent-now I know you might be thinking, again? But hear me out.

Yes, consent is a fairly common topic area in sexual assault prevention, and there are good reasons for that. Far too often though we come up with reasons why we CANNOT teach consent. Things like the kids I'm working with are too young for that, or the school doesn't let us talk about sex. And this is why this Tip is about consent... without sex.

It's About So Much More

A recent…

In our work to end sexual violence, sometimes best practices in prevention and what communities want to hear about (i.e. awareness and education) are not the same thing. Large school assemblies and tips for staying safe at parties are often welcomed by our communities — these make them feel safe and don't ask too much of them. With limited resources to do our prevention work, it is important that we are able to distinguish between primary prevention and awareness or risk reduction activities…

We've spent a lot of time figuring out what the spectrum of sexual violence looks like, but do we have concrete ideas about what the alternative is? Healthy sexuality is a complex and nuanced subject area that allows us to explore the positive, healthy, fulfilling, and violence-free expressions of sexuality.

Infusing healthy sexuality messaging into your work will likely require preparation. Do you know why healthy sexuality is an integral part of our prevention work? How can you…

Posters campaigns can be a great way to raise awareness and when used in conjunction with other activities may be part of a more comprehensive prevention project. Here are some examples of poster campaigns that are either pro-active about stopping sexual & dating violence or promote positive messaging and environments.

The Red Flag Campaign

• Designed by the Virginia Sexual & Domestic Violence Action Alliance for college campuses. The poster…