Resources

We've all heard the phrase "break the silence" and it has been an important part of raising awareness of sexual violence and giving survivors a chance to speak out. We must remember that if sexual violence occurs on a continuum then our prevention efforts must also. Taking a stand against gender-based street harassment is a good opportunity to reinforce the message that we are working to create social change and live in a world free of language, attitudes, and actions that support sexual…

It's almost back to school time so let's really talk about what we can do to help protect youth from some of the dangers associated with sexting.

Let's Talk Data

Check out the report Interdisciplinary Responses to Youth Sexting: Recommendations from the Youth Online Safety Working Group (YOSWG), which synthesizes current research findings and gives recommendations to respond and prevent to sexting as…

There's a lot of prevention work happening all over the place. There's lots of ways to get "plugged in" to find out what is being done out there.

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I suggest a couple generic phrases like "sexual violence prevention" and "sexual assault…

This documentary is an adaptation of Jessica Valenti's 2009 bestselling book "The Purity Myth: How America's Obsession with Virginity is Hurting Young Women." The documentary, which Valenti co-wrote the documentary with director Jeremy Earp, brings to life her argument by allowing the audience to see the pop-culture examples of the American media's problematical portrayal of women's sexuality.

The book and documentary both build upon Valenti's concept of the "purity myth," which she…

Twitter is a social networking tool that allows people to share short messages instantly. Messages are called Tweets and must be equal to or less than 140 characters. You can easily share information and see what others share.

Read Twitter 101 to get started!

Using Twitter

It's up to each…

It's no wonder that many of us spend time working to prevent sexual violence with children and young people. Since the goal is to prevent first-time victimization and perpetration of sexual violence, we need to start giving tools and changing norms early on. Of course we also know that prevention work needs to span individuals, communities, and society and those social change efforts need to continue over the life span.

Young people are immersed in youth culture and can offer…

Prevention work can be rewarding but also challenging. We want to help to facilitate positive social change within our communities but sometimes we run into obstacles or aren't sure we're making an impact. How can we stay motivated to do this work?

Feel enthused, refreshed, and appreciated!

Talk to other prevention folks!

Fight isolation by building relationships with others working to end sexual violence. Chat about…

Ending sexual violence in our communities takes all of us. Involving boys and men in our prevention work can benefit the prevention field, men, and the community. Here are a few considerations and resources to use when engaging men in prevention.

Why engage men in prevention?

These are just a few reasons — challenge yourself to come up with more & then put them to action!

• While the majority of sexual violence is committed by men…

Besides having fun, kids are trying to figure out how to make their way through the social environment and feel accepted. It is our role to help create a change in the social environment that makes it "uncool" to use violence and ultimately to be a bully.

Enhance bullying prevention programs in schools and community organizations:

• Create environments free from violence and hostility in which kids feel safe and can trust adults.…

In this issue of "Partners in Social Change" we examine what it looks like to engage men in sexual violence prevention. Much of the work we do focuses on how communities can prevent sexual violence; therefore this issue seeks to examine men as a community that has the potential to help create social change. The notion that men need to be involved in ending gender-based violence is not new by any means, but we want to take a look at how we can genuinely involve men as part of a movement that…

Washington es un estado líder en la agricultura. Algunos de nuestros alimentos deliciosos son las lentejas de los Palouse, el vino del Valle de Columbia, las cebollas famosas de Walla Walla, cestas y cestas de frambuesas de Ferndale y las manzanas crujientes por las que nos caracterizamos (mi favorita es la tarta de Cripps Pink). La comida es deliciosa, pero la agricultura no es fácil. Es un trabajo muy arduo, y llenar nuestras tiendas y despensas de comestibles a los precios que estamos…

This webinar will incorporate the positive aspects of sexuality education into a sexual violence prevention framework. If we’re working to prevent rape and other forms of sexual violence, we must simultaneously promote healthy sexual interactions. This webinar will address a sex-positive approach to violence prevention, provide a model workshop outline, and explore the challenges of this approach.

Prevention programming is happening in communities across Washington in a variety of settings. However, it's hard to deny that schools are not a very popular place to deliver these messages. And for good reason, that's where the kids are. That's where our future goes to figure out what kind of world we'll all be living in tomorrow.

For this issue of the PISC, we are talking about schools. We take a look at the laws about what schools must offer, we provide ideas and resources about…

Executive Summary

In 1997, Washington State developed its first sexual violence prevention plan. The plan focused on changing the conditions that cause sexual violence. In 2008, the state began the process of revising the plan. Like the 1997 plan, this new plan emphasizes meaningful change rather than symptoms. Both plans view community development as a lever for change.

The Washington State Department of Health and the…

Around the state of Washington we are working to promote social change by encouraging communities to take an active role in identifying the root causes to sexual violence in their community and taking steps to address these conditions. In this issue of Partners in Social Change are articles on community development, logic models and the statewide prevention planning meetings.

…

Community development and social change strategies - something new? As the old song lyric says, "Everything old is new again."

When the state Sexual Assault Prevention Advisory Committee was convened by the Office of Crime Victims Advocacy in 1997 to explore and discuss sexual assault prevention approaches, it was a committee representative of the entire sexual assault prevention community. There were key representatives from the Department of Health, from the Office of the…

Over the last few years The White House has taken actions to call attention to the scope of campus sexual violence, provide guidance to schools on how to effectively respond when violence has occurred, improve Title IX enforcement, and prevent campus sexual assault.

The White House and partners have used many avenues such as launching a resource website and large-scale public awareness campaigns to start the conversation in communities. Additionally, The White House worked with the…

Agent of Change is an online game which allows users to choose their reactions, creating pathways and customizing situations to the specific questions and needs of the student. Agent of Change addresses many forms of violence, and includes diverse characters. Continuously updated with student pre- and post- test data.

Intended to reduce instances of violence among diverse groups of youth by focusing on healthy relationship skills and bystander accountability. Developed and implemented in Los Angeles by Peace Over Violence.

Public awareness campaign created by the Virginia Sexual and Domestic Violence Action Alliance. Encourages bystanders to intervene when they witness peers in dating or sexual violence situations. The posters address:

• emotional abuse,
• jealousy,
• victim blaming,
• isolation,
• sexual assault,
• sexual coercion, and
• stalking.

Posters represent diversity of racial/ethnic backgrounds and both…

WholeSomeBodies is a curriculum for adults who have children and youth in their lives. Includes a guide for facilitators and a participant workbook with activities and materials to support workshops that address topics such as:

• etymology and circles of sexuality,
• sensuality,
• gender,
• childhood messages,
• body image, and
• media awareness.

Additional material addresses how to have difficult…

This guide (unCurriculum) was created by the Virginia Sexual and Domestic Violence Action Alliance. Includes: Facilitator’s introduction and 6 units;

1. Positive Personal Development,
2. Addressing Teen Dating Violence,
3. Addressing Sexual Harassment with Teens,
4. Addressing Sexual Violence with Teens,
5. Exploring Gender Sexuality and Power, and
6. Promoting Healthy Relationships.

Liverespect is a 9-session curriculum from A Call to Men designed to help mentors educate and encourage young men to examine their attitudes and beliefs about masculinity.

Safe Dates consists of a 10-session curriculum, play, parent materials, and posters.

Students discuss:

• healthy relationships,
• red flags,
• helping friends,
• gender stereotypes, and
• sexual assault.

This is an evidence-based program that has had long-term outcomes measured in its effectiveness in preventing teen dating violence.

Part of the…

This 26-session curriculum, created by Paul Kivel and Allan Creighton, address:

• gender norms,
• power and control,
• homophobia,
• racism,
• sexism, and
• other factors that contribute to gender-based violence.

Young men are given tools to create healthy relationships through group discussions, activities, and videos.

The website provides facilitators with tips on how to incorporate into school…