Primary Prevention Of Sexual Violence Research Articles

Criminalization of Pedophilia in Indonesia: A Legal Reform to Protect Children (Comparative Case of Indonesian and India)

The term pedophilia was coined by the American Psychiatric Association (APA), pedophilia is listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder (DSM-5) as a mental disorder class of paraphilia a sexual attraction to an object or subject that is not natural. Pedophilia as a psychosexual disorder i.e. individuals with abnormal erotic desire in children. The purpose of this study is to compare the regulation of child protection from pedophilia crimes in Indonesia and India and its prevention so that it can be a reference in Indonesian legal reform. The type of research used in this study is normative research. The results showed that from a legal point of view there is no specific regulation regarding pedophilia crimes, but pedophilia crimes are associated in the form of sexual abuse in children to sexual violence in children. In terms of legislation, India has established a special law on the protection of children from sexual offenses, namely the Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses Act in 2012 (POCSO), in Indonesia has also been passed Law No. 1 of 2022 concerning Sexual Violence. Pedophilia as a psychiatric disorder, so it must be viewed not only as a crime but also a disease that must be cured therefore for the prevention of pedophilia a medical role is needed as in India there is a Program For Primary Prevention of Sexual Violence (PPPSV) that can be accessed for those who feel they have a sexual interest in children

"You're just constantly on alert": Women and Gender-Diverse People's Experiences of Sexual Violence on Public Transport.

Sexual violence is a public health issue that can be experienced across the life course. Public transport is a key site of sexual violence and harassment experienced by women and gender-diverse people in Australia, although victim-survivor voices have rarely been sought in addressing this issue. Through in-depth qualitative interviews with 41 diverse female and gender-diverse victim-survivors who were staff or students at two Australian universities, we sought to understand their experiences of sexual violence and harassment on public transport. We found that women and gender-diverse people, while often reporting on a significant experience of sexual violence or harassment on public transport, also had other, "everyday" experiences across their life course that impacted how they traveled and their confidence in the world. Overall, we argue that the significant impact of sexual violence and harassment on public transport should be addressed through targeting public transport as a key site for primary prevention of sexual violence and harassment.

Pencegahan Primer Kekerasan Seksual Anak Melalui Intervensi Berbasis Keluarga di Kota Pontianak

Sexual violence against children is a global phenomenon in various countries, including Indonesia. The lack of knowledge, attitudes, and self-efficacy of parents in education to prevent sexual violence in children is an obstacle in the primary prevention program for this incident. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of family-based interventions through Information and Education Communication (IEC) to prevent sexual violence in children on the knowledge, attitudes, and self-efficacy of parents. This research is a quasi-experimental research with a one-group pretest-posttest design. The sample size was 40 parents who have adolescence with a purposive sampling technique. Data were analyzed by paired t-test. The results of this study indicate that family-based intervention effectively increases parents' knowledge, attitudes and self-efficacy s in delivering education to prevent sexual violence in children (p value <0.05). Family-based intention as effective primary prevention of sexual violence against children.

Sexual violence: 10 years of case studies in a hospital in Northern Italy.

Background: In the past twenty years, the fight against sexual violence has become a common goal of the entire European Union, due to a greater socio-cultural awareness of the population and the need to create guidelines for common action. Italian Law no. 66 of February 15, 1996, regarding the “Rules against sexual violence” which, with the appropriate amendments, is still in force today, defines 3 types of sexual offenses through the articles 609 of the Penal Code.Design and Methods: This study analyzes the cases relating to one of the hospitals in Northern Italy, during the decade January 2010 - December 2019, relating to suspected/reported cases of sexual violence, group sexual violence and sexual acts with minors. This study was carried out by acquiring information relating to subjects who had been victims of a sexual crime through the analysis of the consultations drawn up by specialist medical staff in the submentioned hospital. These consultations are defined by specific medical protocols that must be activated every time a victim of a suspected sexual offense comes into the Emergency Room (ER). The data were processed with descriptive analyzes, the qualitative variables were synthesized with absolute and percentage frequencies, while the quantitative variables with mean and interpolation of the data, to identify a trend line. In order to hypothesize the possible future trend of the phenomenon, data were collected relating to the type of crime according to the Penal Code, gender and age of the victim. This article also outlines future directions for improving research.Results: Our data shows that females, of any age, are the most affected in all sexual crimes, often share home with their aggressor, usually a man, and in most cases, they come to the medical observation without any lesion on their body.Conclusions: In order to provide a global vision of the situation and of the diffusion throughout the territory, studies like this one could be carried out in various Italian provinces. Besides, we hope that the high degree of commitment on the part of society and institutions in combating sexual violence, through information campaigns and incitements to report, will lead in a few years to a reduction in the number of victims of repeated violence (especially in family contexts) and, consequently, also in the total number of acts of violence that comes to the attention of the healthcare facilities. Finally, primary prevention of sexual violence must begin early because a substantial portion is experienced at a young age. It will be necessary to prevent these forms of violence with strategies that address known risk factors for perpetration (e.g., low family support, high poverty, low parental education, absent or single parenting, parental substance abuse, domestic violence, low caregiver warmth), by changing social norms and behaviors and by identifying protective factors that could be strengthened. Significance for public health The study presented is relevant because it analyzes the ways in which the italian public health daily faces the burdensome problem of sexual violence, in all the forms identified by Italian law, highlighting the characteristics of this crime that involves any gender and age. This article aims to be the starting point for the dissemination of these studies, which cannot be sectoral, in all the provinces of Italy, to highlight the critical issues and to reinforce the process of identification and reporting of these cases.

Knowledge, Attitude, and Self Efficacy of Parents In Providing Education To Prevent Child Sexual Violence In Pontianak City, Indonesia

Providing sexuality education to children is one of the primary preventions for preventing sexual violence in children. Parents' knowledge, attitudes, and self-efficacy can affect the provision of this education. The purpose of this study was to describe the knowledge, attitudes, and self-efficacy of parents in providing sexual education to prevent sexual violence in children. This research is quantitative with a cross-sectional approach. The number of samples in this study was 396 parents who have children aged 12-17 years by purposive sampling. Univariate descriptive analysis was used. This study indicates that 56.3% of parents who have poor knowledge about preventing sexual violence are not supportive attitudes (52.5%), and 50.0% have low self-efficacy in preventing sexual violence in children. In addition, 71.5% of parents understand sexual violence against children in the form of rape and obscenity, and 33.1% still consider it taboo in providing education to prevent sexual violence in children. It is necessary to increase parents' knowledge, attitudes, and self-efficacy in providing education on preventing sexual violence in children as the primary prevention of sexual violence in children.

Age of Substance Use Initiation and Sexual Violence Victimization among Female Adolescents.

Objective: In this study, I examined the association between age of substance use initiation and sexual violence (SV) among adolescent girls. Methods: Data were drawn from the 2017 Youth Risk Behavior Survey, and the sample included 7526 girls. Logistic regression was used to estimate the relationship between age of initiation of alcohol use, marijuana use and cigarette smoking, and SV, assessed by forced sexual intercourse and experiencing SV. Results: A dose-response association was observed between age of substance use initiation and SV. Across all 3 substance use variables and for both SV outcomes, those who initiated substance use before age 15 were more likely to experience SV than those who initiated at or after age 15, who, in turn, had a higher likelihood of experiencing SV than those who had never initiated substance use. Conclusion: Early initiation of substance use may be a meaningful marker of risk for SV victimization in later adolescence. SV prevention programs could use early initiation of substance use to identify adolescents who are at increased risk for SV and provide them with targeted interventions. To be more effective, primary prevention of SV may need to begin targeting substance use in early adolescence.

From campus to communities: evaluation of the first UK-based bystander programme for the prevention of domestic violence and abuse in general communities

BackgroundViolence against women and girls is a public health epidemic. Campus-based research has found bystander programmes show promise as effective primary prevention of sexual violence. However, evidence regarding domestic violence and abuse bystander prevention specifically, and in community settings generally, is still in development. Further, research has predominantly emanated from the US. Examining proof of concept in differing cultural contexts is required. This study evaluates the feasibility and potential for effectiveness of a domestic violence and abuse bystander intervention within UK general communities—Active Bystander Communities.MethodsParticipants recruited opportunistically attended a three-session programme facilitated by experts in the field. Programme feasibility was measured using participant attendance and feedback across nine learning objectives. Myth acceptance, bystander efficacy, behavioural intent and bystander behaviours were assessed using validated scales at baseline, post-intervention, and four-month follow-up. Results were examined for potential backlash. Analyses used a paired sample t-test and effect size was quantified with Cohen’s d.Results58/70 participants attended all programme sessions. Participant feedback consistently rated the programme highly and significant change (p ≤ 0·001) was observed in the desired direction across behavioural intent, bystander efficacy, and myth acceptance scores at post and follow-up. Effect size was generally large and, with the exception of Perception of Peer Myth Acceptance, improved at follow-up. Backlash was minimal.ConclusionsTo our knowledge this is the first UK-based study to examine the potential of bystander intervention as a community-level intervention for domestic violence and abuse. Findings are promising and indicate the translatability of the bystander approach to domestic violence and abuse prevention as well as community contexts. This is likely to be of great interest to policymakers and may help shape future community-based interventions. Further research is now needed using experimental designs engaging diverse community audiences.

Making and Communicating Decisions About Sexual Consent During Drug-Involved Sex: A Thematic Synthesis

ABSTRACT Sexual consent is a central component in the primary prevention of sexual violence. There is growing evidence of the impact that alcohol consumption has on sexual consent. However, there has been no review examining sexual consent in the context of other drug-taking. Published literature was sought using searches of: PsycINFO, PsycARTICLES, Scopus, Web of Science, CINAHL, MEDLINE and Open Dissertations. Unpublished literature, such as unpublished government or charity reports, were identified through Google search engine. All 21 eligible studies employed qualitative or mixed methods; therefore, a thematic synthesis was deemed an appropriate method of analysis. Three themes were constructed: “Drug-taking changes sexual norms”, “Drug-taking diminishes the capacity to make sexual decisions” and “Drug-taking reduces verbal and non-verbal ability to communicate consent”. The findings demonstrated that prevailing models of sexual consent may not account for circumstances relevant to drug-involved sex, such as how drug-taking impacts freedom and capacity to consent to sex. We propose the use of the medical model of capacity to consent as a broader framework through which capacity to consent to sex in drug-taking contexts can be assessed. The importance of both the social and situational context for sexual decision-making following drug-taking is discussed.

A bystander programme to prevent domestic violence and abuse in UK general communities: evaluation of Active Bystander Communities

BackgroundViolence against women and girls is recognised as a global public health epidemic. Despite some UK media's recent attempt to de-legitimise bystanders, an increasing body of university campus-based research identifies bystander programmes as effective primary prevention of sexual violence. The evidence for domestic violence and abuse (DVA) bystander prevention specifically, and in community settings generally, is in its infancy. We aimed to evaluate the potential for effectiveness and feasibility of the first UK DVA bystander intervention within general communities—Active Bystander Communities (ABC). MethodsABC is predicated on progressing participants through the staged Model of Helping: noticing the event, identifying it as problematic, feeling responsible, and possessing the skills to act. Delivery is three 2 h trained facilitator-led sessions using varied pedagogy including media, active learning, and role play. Participants aged 16 years and over were recruited opportunistically from community organisations and stakeholders in community-facing roles. Programme effectiveness was measured with validated psychometric tools (recognised in extant literature as proxies for incidence where incidence cannot be measured) assessing DVA myth endorsement (self and others), behavioural intent (self and others), and bystander efficacy at baseline, immediately post-intervention, and at 4-month follow-up. The difference between pre scores and post scores were subject to a paired sample t test and Cohen's d. Bystander behaviours were captured with 17 qualitative post programme interviews and feasibility assessed via programme observation, participant attendance, and feedback. The University of Exeter gave ethical approval. Informed consent was obtained before intervention delivery. Findings70 participants attended ABC, and 83% (n=58) attended all sessions. 62 participants completed questionnaires before and after the intervention, and 37 completed 4-month follow-up. Behavioural intent (self and others), bystander efficacy, and DVA myth rejection scores (self) improved significantly immediately after intervention and at 4-month follow-up (p≤0·0001). Qualitative interviews identified the enacted bystander interventions across the violence continuum (calling out sexist jokes, identifying potential DVA, supporting victims, sharing knowledge). Participants’ high attendance reported high engagement with content and intent to recommend to others indicate feasibility. InterpretationABC shows promise as a community-level primary prevention strategy. This pilot is likely to be of great interest to practitioners and policy makers, and might help shape future community-based interventions. Further research using experimental study designs is required. FundingBristol City Council (intervention development), Devon County Council (intervention facilitation), and Public Health England South West and the University of Exeter (intervention evaluation).

Lysistrata, #MeToo, and Consent: A Case Study

Lysistrata, #MeToo, and Consent:A Case Study Meghan Brodie (bio) The country is going to hell in a handbasket. Foreign policy is a disaster area. Military interventions stretch on for years. The motives and strategies (or lack thereof) of the men in power have become suspect, and women have had enough. But we are not at the most recent US Women's March or even in the current century. It is 411 bce. In Aristophanes' Lysistrata, the war-weary women of Athens and Sparta want to end the Peloponnesian War, and their tactic is radically simple: participate in a sex strike until the men lay down their arms. In this fast-paced comedy, lust is leverage and the personal is definitely political. But what does it mean to produce this classical play against the backdrop of the #MeToo movement?1 In spring 2017, several months before the movement erupted in the United States, I had planned to direct Ellen McLaughlin's adaptation of Lysistrata for Ursinus College's 2017–18 season. In the October 2017 wake of multiple sexual assault allegations against Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, women used #MeToo to create public awareness about the pervasiveness of sexual harassment and assault in their lives.2 As more and more of my students, colleagues, and friends shared their #MeToo experiences, I paused to consider how a production of Aristophanes' sex comedy, specifically McLaughlin's adaptation of it, might be interpreted in terms of commentary on consent in this changing cultural landscape.3 Surveying Sexual Violence on College Campuses The college sexual assault epidemic is just one of the sexual violence crises to which the #MeToo movement responds. In June 2017, Columbia University announced the findings of the Sexual Health Initiative to Foster Transformation (SHIFT), "a major research initiative to study sexual violence and sexual health among Columbia University undergraduates." The SHIFT team "surveyed, interviewed, and observed students, assembling one of the most scientifically rigorous and comprehensive portraits of undergraduate sexual health and behavior ever compiled" ("Columbia Researchers Present"). Researchers first published their findings in the open-access, peer-reviewed journal PLOS ONE: of the over 1,600 students surveyed, "[s]ince college entry, 22% of students reported experiencing at least one incident of sexual assault" and "[w]omen and gender nonconforming students reported the highest rates (28% and 38%, respectively)." The data compiled by the researchers "suggest a cumulative risk for sexual assault experiences over four years of college with over one in three women experiencing an assault by senior year," but also demonstrate that "freshman year, particularly for women, is when the greatest percentage experience an assault" (Mellins). Given such statistics, how might colleges proactively address sexual assault on campus and cultivate conversations about prevention and consent? Turning to Theatre as a Tool for Sexual Violence Prevention Several texts, including M. Candace Christensen's "Using Theater of the Oppressed to Prevent Sexual Violence on College Campuses," Sarah McMahon and coauthors' "Utilizing Peer [End Page 183] Education Theater for the Primary Prevention of Sexual Violence on College Campuses," and W. Gregory Thatcher's "Preliminary Evaluation of the 'Playing the Game' Sexual Assault Prevention Theatre Program," identify theatre as an effective tool for sexual violence education. For example, Speak About It, a not-for-profit organization, provides "[a]ffirmative consent education through performance and dialogue" to teach high school and college students about consent, boundaries, and healthy relationships. As of 2016, the organization reports that it reached over 300,000 students. In "Exploring and Sharing Strategies for Staging Affirmative Sexual Consent: 100 Shades of Grey and Beyond," Charlotte McIvor discusses her own experiences coordinating a theatre-based sexual violence prevention project at the National University of Ireland at Galway, and highlights similar projects at the University of Texas at Austin, Santa Clara University, Hobart and William Smith College, Michigan State University, and Rutgers University. Based on a model I developed in conjunction with AddVerb Productions and the University of Southern Maine, I coordinate and direct a performance-based sexual violence prevention program titled The Consent Event—a series of scenes and monologues about sexual violence and healthy relationships performed by an ensemble of student actors for Ursinus College's new student orientation...

Sex Offenders: General Information and Treatment

Sex offenders are often neglected by psychiatrists due to a deficiency in training and a lack of knowledge in the area of sexual offenders. Many sex offenders have a comorbid psychiatric illness, including paraphilic disorders. Research has established that sex offenders can be treated with evidence-based principles. Psychiatrists can serve a pivotal role in the evaluation and biological treatment of sex offenders. Together, psychiatrists can work toward primary prevention of sexual violence by learning the requisite skills to identify and treat risk factors of sexual abuse. [ Psychiatr Ann. 2018;48(2):120–128.]

Sexual Coercion Among Students at the University of Cape Coast, Ghana

Sexual coercion refers to strategies that result in an individual engaging in sexual activity against his or her will. Ecological factors influence the way sexual interactions occur; however, the relationship between these factors and sexual coercion has not been explored among university students in Ghana. The purpose of this study was to examine sexual coercion among university students in Ghana by specifically examining individual-level factors (age, gender, sexual debut, age differential with first partner, being in an intimate relationship, history of abortion, and past experiences with transactional sex) and the experience of forced and coerced sex. Residential students at the University of Cape Coast were invited to participate and completed a survey on a tablet computer. Questions included demographics; sexual and reproductive health experiences and knowledge; and attitudes and experiences with abortion. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were used to examine individual-level factors associated with experiences of sexual coercion and forced sex. There were 480 females and 556 males that completed the survey; 26.3 and 16.4% reported having had intercourse either because they were forced or coerced, or when they were “very unwilling”. These students were more likely to be female (OR 3.5), to have had an abortion (OR 2.9), and to have engaged in transactional sex (OR 1.9). Many University of Cape Coast students are experiencing forced or coerced sex. Programs targeting both female and male students as both victims and perpetrators of sexual violence in this population are sorely needed. Primary prevention of sexual violence is one promising field.

Primary Prevention of Sexual Violence in Aotearoa New Zealand.

The extensive and sometimes profoundly damaging effects of sexual violence and large numbers of victims necessitate dedicated attention to primary prevention efforts. Few studies have examined the scope of current prevention activities or their fit with empirical research into effective prevention strategies. The current article presents findings from a survey of primary prevention activities in non-Māori and bicultural communities within Aotearoa New Zealand. Forty-four respondents representing 42 agencies responded to a comprehensive survey that canvased types of sexual violence primary prevention activities undertaken, sexual violence primary prevention programs, and barriers and supports to sexual violence prevention work. Consistent with findings from previous international surveys, the focus of primary prevention work in New Zealand was on sexual violence education and increasing awareness. Findings are discussed in the context of the sexual violence prevention literature and what works in prevention more broadly to help identify promising initiatives as well as gaps in current practices. Recommendations for advancing sexual violence primary prevention research are also provided.

Developing and Testing of an InterventionModel for the Prevention of SexualViolenceAgainst Primary School Children in Padang Indonesia 2014

Background : The problem of sexual abuse against children in Indonesia is increasing rapidly day by day. Almost in every city there are cases of child sexual abuse, and some even died. Padang which is the capital of West Sumatra province, also have an increasing cases of sexual abuse against children in the last five years. So far thereare no available models of primary prevention, which can be used by governments, particularly the government of Padang. Method The research method in the first phase was a qualitative approach with grounded research design, supported by FGD quantitative, interviews and questionnaires that were carried in District/City of Padang, in order to etablish a model. Data was collected through interviews, observation, documentation study, literature study and questionnaires. The population of this research were teachers and students at ten primary schools in the city of Padang. Results : Researchers hadproduced an alternative model to improve the knowledge and assertiveness of primary school age children as primary prevention of sexual abuse against children in the city of Padang. Conclusion: This exploration study found one model Intervention Against Sexual Violece Primary Prevention of School Age Children On Padang City which is implemented in schools. One example of its media-learning is through a song that used Minangkabau language with materials containing primary prevention of sexual violence against children. Keyword: Model of intervention, sexual violence, elementary school, children, Padang

Utilizing Peer Education Theater for the Primary Prevention of Sexual Violence on College Campuses

To address the widespread problem of sexual assault, many colleges and universities are providing primary prevention education programs. Although a number of such programs exist and appear in the literature (for review see Vladutiu, Martin, & Macy, 2011), the role of peer education theater offers a unique approach. Peer education has been demonstrated as effective for delivering health messages, is cost-effective, is well-received by students, and engages students in a potentially powerful way (White, Park, Israel, & Cordero, 2009). The purpose of this paper is to present a theoretically based approach to a campus sexual violence prevention program using peer education theater. We provide the results of an exploratory study that evaluates the impact of the program on students' rape myths and bystander attitudes and that determines whether the program produces positive outcomes by key variables such as gender, ethnicity, athlete status, and fraternity/sorority status. We conclude with implications for student affairs professionals and educators. Sexual Assault Prevention on College Campuses The primary focus of rape prevention programs on college campuses often is to change individuals' beliefs in rape myths, defined as false beliefs about rape shaped by sexism and other prejudices individuals hold (Burt, 1980). Addressing rape myths is important not only because they represent problematic attitudes, but also because they are cited as an explanatory predictor in the actual perpetration of sexual violence, or proclivity to rape (Hinck & Thomas, 1999). In addition to reducing rape myths, an increasingly popular strategy for the primary prevention of sexual assault is bystander intervention. This approach frames sexual violence as a community issue and suggests that all individuals have a responsibility to intervene in situations that may lead to sexual violence and respond during or after the assault occurs (Banyard, Plante, & Moynihan, 2004; McMahon, Postmus & Koenick, 2011). The bystander approach has been identified as holding particular promise for addressing sexual assault in college settings, where bystanders are often present during the pre-assault phase where risk markers appear, and if equipped with the correct skills, can interrupt these situations and prevent sexual assaults from occurring (Burn, 2009). Evaluation of a number of bystander programs have appeared in the literature and demonstrate promise for creating positive change in attitudes and behaviors (e.g., Banyard, Moynihan & Plante, 2007; Foubert & Perry, 2007). Hence, bystander intervention may be a potentially powerful prevention tool to ultimately reduce the occurrence of sexual assault (Banyard et al., 2004). As student affairs professionals consider implementing rape prevention programs, questions remain about how to best deliver such programs in a realistic, practical format for large, universal groups of college students. Although one-dose interventions have been criticized as having a limited ability to produce sustained change (i.e., Lonsway, 1996), reviews of the number of sessions necessary to produce change are mixed, with some studies even indicating short sessions can be as effective (see review by Vladutiu et al., 2011). Clearly, there is a need for further research to investigate this issue. From a practicality standpoint, the reality is that, many times, those who work with college students are afforded only one opportunity to provide universal prevention programming to students at large-setting venues such as new student orientation. Given these constraints, finding single-use methods that are most effective in producing change in large-scale settings is important. Black, Weisz, Coats, and Patterson (2000) suggested that one-dose sexual violence interventions may be more effective if they are carefully selected, delivered by peers, and able to evoke emotion, such as the use of peer education theater. Peer Education Theater Peer education has gained popularity in higher education over the past few decades to educate students about a variety of health behaviors. There is both empirical and theoretical support for using peer education as a method for delivering sexual violence prevention messages. Theoretical support is found within diffusion of innovation theories (DOI; see Turner & Shepherd's 1999 review). DOI recently has been put forth by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as one of the key social change theories that should be considered when developing sexual assault prevention programs (Cox, Lang, Townsend, & Campbell, 2010). Based on the work of Rogers (1983), this theory is used to explain how ideas... Language: en

Speak Up: Engaging Youth in School-Based Primary Prevention of Sexual Violence

This field report describes Speak Up, a primary sexual assault prevention education program for middle-school youth in Northern Colorado, developed and implemented by the Sexual Assault Victim Advocate Center. After describing the program's history, design, key activities, and evaluation efforts, we offer several recommendations for wider implementation of this type of program, including making programs sustainable through partnership, the importance of strong evaluation efforts, and effectively supporting program staff.

Speak Up: Engaging Youth in School-Based Primary Prevention of Sexual Violence

Speak Up: Engaging Youth in School-Based Primary Prevention of Sexual Violence

Conceptualizing the Engaging Bystander Approach to Sexual Violence Prevention on College Campuses

Bystander intervention offers promise as a sexual violence prevention tool for student affairs administrators on college campuses, but the conceptualization and definition of the approach is in its infancy and needs further development. In an effort to emphasize the potential role of bystanders in the primary prevention of sexual violence, we put forth the "engaging bystander approach" (EBA). We discuss how EBA can be used to address primary prevention and present updated versions of Banyard, Plante, and Moynihan's (2005) Bystander Attitude Scale and Bystander Behavior Scale. We then present the results from a quantitative study with 951 undergraduate students that used the updated scales to assess the willingness of incoming college students to engage in primary prevention bystander behaviors. We conclude with implications for future studies and for sexual violence prevention programs on college campuses.

Engaging Intercollegiate Athletes in Preventing and Intervening in Sexual and Intimate Partner Violence

Objective: The object of this exploratory evaluation was to evaluate the “Bringing in the Bystander” sexual and intimate partner violence prevention program with a new sample of intercollegiate athletes. Participants and Methods: Fifty-three male and female athletes participated in the program (experimental group), and 86 were in the control group. All completed pretest, posttest, and 2-month follow-up surveys, including assessment of rape myth acceptance, intent to engage in bystander behaviors, bystander confidence, and bystander behaviors. Results: The program worked overall and for both women and men, improved bystander confidence and intent to engage in bystander behaviors, and did not create significant backlash effects (ie, worsening of attitudes as a result of program). Conclusions: The program fits with the intent of the National Collegiate Athletic Association CHAMPS/Life Skills program regarding its focus on the overall development of student-athletes and demonstrates the promising bystander approach compatible with the 2007 American College Health Association toolkit, Shifting the Paradigm: Primary Prevention of Sexual Violence.

Primary Prevention of Sexual Violence in North Carolina: A Public Health Approach

N C Med J. November/December 2010, Volume 71, Number 6 In addition to supporting these individual-focused strategies, promising evidence supports an approach that targets sexual assault bystanders, which is an innovative intervention combining individualand community-level change strategies [8]. This approach leverages the fact that, although most people will be neither victim nor perpetrator of violence, nearly all people share a desire to live in communities that are violence free. Thus, the bystander approach teaches the majority of the population how to recognize and respond to situations that involve violence and how to— safely—intervene to prevent violence. Moreover, bystander interventions engage participants as supportive allies for violence survivors and teach participants to challenge social norms that support violence, such as how to diplomatically confront a coworker who tells jokes about rape or battered women. In summary, promising evidence exists for primary prevention interventions aimed at eradicating violence against women. Despite such promise, the small number of evidence-based preventions is worrisome, given the prevalence of partner violence and sexual assault. Secondary prevention. Secondary prevention interventions for partner violence and sexual assault aim to prevent survivors’ revictimization by reducing the perpetrators’ violence and by establishing the survivors’ safety. As with primary violence prevention, we have limited empirical evidence supporting the effectiveness of secondary-prevention interventions [9]. There are secondary prevention interventions for partner violence with promising—albeit limited— evidence. Nonetheless, these prevention interventions offer a starting place for building the state’s capacity for violence response. Secondary preventions with promising evidence include survivor advocacy (eg, legal advocacy services, such as helping survivors secure protection orders), shelter services (eg, emergency and transitional housing for survivors and children), and group-counseling interventions for violence perpetrators [9]. Primary Prevention of Sexual Violence in North Carolina: A Public Health Approach