My program, Conversations About Consent (CAC), aims to significantly reduce the prevalence of sexual assault perpetration and prevent sexually violent behaviors towards women on the University of Florida’s campus via a web-based program applicable for all genders. CAC also strives to propagate personal resilience in survivors of sexual violence through their involvement in the implementation of the program. Participants will access the program through a password-protected web portal that consists of different 30-minute modules that includes didactic activities, video scenarios, and interactivity. Personal narratives presented by survivors of sexual violence will be included in the intervention in an effort to elicit an empathetic reaction from participants and demonstrate how applicable the program is. Once individuals have completed the program, they are able to enter the incentivized social media campaign to spread awareness of the program. There will be follow-ups, overseen by survivors, every 3-months for 18 months to ensure the longevity of the program’s efficacy and introduce new modules, which will be incentivized as well.
Of the six trauma-informed principles SAMHSA has recognized, my program will utilize three. By utilizing survivors of sexual assault and allowing them to share their personal narratives, the trauma-informed principle of peer support and mutual self-help is at the forefront of the program (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration [SAMHSA], 2014). The principle of empowerment, voice, and choice will also be incorporated through the program’s person-centered approach, the unifying factor of personal narratives and traumatic experiences, and the shared power and decision-making between staff, volunteers, and the organization (SAMHSA, 2014). Additionally, since sexual violence is more prevalent amongst females and ethnic minorities (Smith et al., 2018), the trauma-informed principle of cultural, historical, and gender issues will be built into the program through mandatory cultural competency training for all staff involved in the program.
CAC incorporates a public health framework that addresses the social determinants of health to prevent the social, educational, and economic outcomes that result from sexual violence and subsequently impact population health. The program also includes all three prevention levels as it raises awareness about sexual assault, encourages prosocial intervening behaviors, screens participants for past sexual victimization or assault, and promotes resilience in the survivors implementing the program (Feuer-Edwards et al., 2016). Based off the CDC’s Social Ecological Model, Conversations About Consent (CAC) will address three different levels: individual, relationship, and community (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2022). The individual level will be addressed through the promotion of prosocial bystander intervention behaviors and conflict resolution throughout the program through an increase in individual participants’ self-efficacy and recognition of potentially dangerous situations. At the relationship level, peer support is offered by the survivors of sexual violence who are implementing the program and communicating their shared experiences to promote and provide social support (CDC, 2022). CAC will address the community level as it takes place on campus in a communal environment and aims to improve the culture and safety of the physical and social environment that give rise to the increased prevalence of sexual assault on campus.
References
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022, January 18). The Social-Ecological Model: A Framework for Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/violencepr...ecologicalmodel.html
Feuer-Edwards, A., O’Brien, C., & O’Connor, S. (2016). Trauma-informed philanthropy: A funder’s resource guide for supporting trauma-informed practice in the Delaware Valley. Philanthropy Network Greater Philadelphia, Thomas Scattergood Behavioral Health Foundation, & United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey. file:///Users/abigaillambert/Downloads/FINAL_TraumaGUIDE-single-1.pdf
Smith, S.G., Zhang, X., Basile, K.C., Merrick, M.T., Wang, J., Kresnow, M., & Chen, J. (2018). The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (NISVS): 2015 Data Brief – Updated Release. National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.nsvrc.org/sites/de...015data-brief508.pdf
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2014). SAMHSA’s concept of trauma and guidance for a trauma-informed approach. United States Department of Health and Human Services. https://ncsacw.acf.hhs.gov/userfiles/files/ SAMHSA_Trauma.pdf
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