Primary Prevention of Sexual and Intimate Partner Violence:Introduction to Concepts and a Model Program for Youth Violence Prevention

Rebecca Williams-Agee

SCCADVASA

Caroline BurnsSTSM

Prevention:Stopping it Before it Begins

Primary Prevention ofIntimate Partner

Violence and Sexual Violence

Core Assumptions of Primary Prevention• Commitment to END sexual and intimate

partner violence• Sexual and intimate partner violence are

societal NOT an individual victim’s problem• Sexual and intimate partner violence are

complex, thus requiring comprehensive solutions.

Prevention IS NOT…

• A one-time program or event• One skill-building session• One protocol

Prevention IS…• An on-going process, requiring leadership

and commitment• Integrated into community infrastructure

Primary Prevention of IPV and SV is:

Primary prevention of IPV and SV is a systematic process ◦promoting healthy environments and

behaviors◦resulting in the reduction of the likelihood

and the frequency of intimate partner violence and sexual violence.

Not your Grandmother’s prevention… Previously we called things prevention that

are actually risk reduction◦Self-defense◦Safety tips

Primary prevention will require true social change◦Process of changing the attitudes and beliefs that

lead to specific behaviors◦An acknowledgement that we can’t just accept the

world the way it is and expect that the problems will go away

Prevention and Intervention

Prevention & Intervention: Both Essential

Preventing intimate partner violence before it occurs

Preventing a re-occurrence of intimate partner violence

Intervention +

Primary Prevention

Intervention and primary prevention should complement, not compete with, each other along a

continuum

Prevention

Preventing initial occurrence of ipv and/or sv

Focuses on changing conditions that support ipv and sv

Focuses on promoting conditions that inhibit ipv and sv

Promotes healthy attitudes, behaviors and social norms

Prevention and Intervention go hand-in-handIntervention

Recognizing/responding to ipv and sv

Addresses the effects of ipv and/or sv after the violent incident has occurred

Strives to prevent the reoccurrence of ipv and sv

Emphasizing the prevalence of ipv and sv and providing information regarding where to receive services

What does primary prevention of ipv and sv promote?

Promotes development of social norms and social environments that create, support, and sustain positive behaviors and healthy relationships

Promotes comprehensive and multidisciplinary approaches to preventing violence against women and girls before it occurs by impeding the development of perpetrators.

Principles for Primary Prevention of IPV and SV focus on changing norms to change behavior foster comprehensive and integrated systems for

prevention engage community leadership / be responsive to

community needs and strengths promote and model positive behaviors invites men as stakeholders emphasize role of bystander intervention focus on risk factors and assets build on existing assets and efforts

Parks, L.F., Cohen, L., Kravitz-Wirtz, N. (2007) Poised For Prevention: Advancing Promising Approaches to Primary Prevention of IPV, Prevention Institute.

Continuum of Prevention

Primary• Interventions that take place before intimate partner

violence or sexual violence has

occurred

• To prevent initial perpetration or victimization

Secondary• Immediate responses

after the intimate partner violence or sexual violence has

occurred

• Deals with the short-term consequences of

the experienced type(s) of violence

Tertiary• Long-term response after intimate partner

violence or sexual violence has occurred

• Deals with the lasting consequences

of violence

• Includes prevention of recidivism

ExampleA multiple session

program with 8th graders focusing on bystander

intervention and exploring healthy

relationships

ExampleThe immediate response to a victim on a hotline

call, helping them to leave a violent situation and determine safety plans

and next steps

ExampleThe ongoing support that

may be provided to a victim of sexual or intimate

partner violence by participating in group or

individual therapy sessions

Some Helpful Models and Approaches

Primary Prevention Strategies:

Restructuring male gender socialization and involvement of men and boys / creating a new definition of masculinity

empowering women and girls bystander intervention healthy relationships healthy sexuality youth as agents of change media campaigns and media advocacy

Public Health Approach• Historically linked to physical and medical issues

• Allows us to view sexual violence and intimate partner violence as preventable problems

• Ties sexual violence and intimate partner violence to causes outside of the victim/ survivor (e.g., social norms, perpetrators)

• “REPAIRING THE BRIDGE”

Social Ecological ModelIf we work at multiple levels

Social Change

Individual Relationship Community Institutions and Society

Why the socio-ecological model?

individuals commit ipv and sv

culture condones physical, emotional and sexual terrorism against women as the norm on multiple levels

preventing ipv and sv requires us to consider each domain’s overall impact on individuals and their behavior

restructuring social norms, redefining masculinity, public policy and legislation can mutually support social change

preventing ipv and sv requires the consideration of the multiple domains of the socio-ecological model -- family, peers, community, institutions, media, and society overall

Individual Relationship CommunityInstitutions and Society

Social Ecological Model

School-based 10-week program to build bystander skills and explore healthy, respectful relationships for 8th graders

8-week pilot program for boys basketball team to change peer group norms that are supportive of sexual harassment

School working group to change policies/ procedures to change school climate to promote respect and model positive behavior

Local coalition is embarking on a community-wide initiative that includes a focus on positive youth development

The Spectrum of Prevention

tool developed by Larry Cohen, Prevention Institute

promotes a systematic approach to violence prevention

utilized to identify multiple levels of primary prevention activities

increases comprehension that primary prevention is far more than education and public awareness campaigns

Socio-ecological model

Spectrum of Prevention

Individual Increase/strengthen individual level

knowledge and skillsRelationship Increase/strengthen

individual level knowledge and skills

Community Promote community education

Educate service providersDevelop coalitions /

networksInstitutional Change organizational

practicesSocietal Influence policy legislation

The Social-Ecological model and the Spectrum of Prevention go hand-in-hand

Incorporating Primary Prevention Strategies into Youth Violence Prevention

Preventing First-time Perpetration

In 2014 - 2015, staff at Sexual Trauma Services of the Midlands provided 860 sessions to 9,280 individuals for a total of 20,930 education and outreach contacts.

STSM’s Education staff provided 764 sessions to 5,801 individuals for a total of 18,173 contacts. ◦ Of these, 663 sessions were to 3,937 youth for a total of

14,793 education contacts. 97% of youth-focused sessions were multi-session implementations of the YVP Curriculum©.

STSM partnered with 18 middle and high schools, 12 colleges, and 62 businesses, organizations, and churches to facilitate the Community Education and Outreach Program.

YVP© and the Community

Comprehensive: ◦ Prevention interventions should include multiple

types of activities, affect multiple settings, and go beyond awareness-raising. The Socio-ecological model is one of several models of comprehensive prevention efforts.

Theory-Driven: ◦ Strategies should have a scientific justification or

logical rationale. Varied Teaching Methods:

◦ Prevention interventions should include interactive, skills-based components.

YVP© and the Nine Principles

Sufficient Dosage: ◦ Participants need to be exposed to enough of

the intervention over time for the programming to impact participants’ knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and skill development.

Appropriately Timed: ◦ Program activities should happen at a time

(developmentally) that can have maximal impact in a participant’s life.

YVP© and the Nine Principles

Positive Relationships: ◦ Programs should foster strong and positive

relationships between youth and adults. This can be accomplished by creating programs in which participants have the opportunity to critically evaluate and discuss the content, and ensuring that the content or the presenter is relevant to the participants.

Socio-culturally Relevant: ◦ Programs should reflect the community in which they

are being implemented. Programs should be tailored to include information and statistics about the local community rather than more generalized content.

YVP© and the Nine Principles

Well-trained Staff: ◦ Programs need to be implemented by staff

members who are sensitive, competent, and have received sufficient training, support, and supervision.

Outcome Evaluation: ◦ A systematic outcome evaluation is necessary

to determine whether a program or strategy worked.

YVP© and the Nine Principles

The Effect of Gender Stereotypes & Media Influence on Violence in

Relationships

Appropriate Boundary Setting and Online Victimization & Protection

Strategies

Effective Communication Strategies

• Writers cannot see what speakers are holding.• Writers cannot talk. Only speakers can talk!• Speakers are not allowed to see what writers

are doing.

– Speakers are to describe the picture to their partner. You cannot tell them what it is! You can only give them instructions such as “Draw a circle. Draw a triangle next to the circle…”

Good luck!

Blind Drawing Activity

Healthy Relationships and Prevention of Intimate Partner

Violence

Prevention of Sexual Harassment & Stalking

SC Laws, Prevention of Sexual Assault & Drug-Facilitated Sexual Assault

YVP© Program Outcomes

Suzanne Swan, PhDPete Warren, MS

General Findings

Questions?Sexual Trauma Services of the Midlands

Office: 803-790-820824-Hr Crisis: 803-771-7273 or 800-491-7273

www.stsm.org

SC Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault

Office: 803-256-2900www.sccadvasa.org