A new publication put out by VAWNet, the online resource center for research on violence against women, discusses some common strategies for preventing sexual violence as well as the state of evaluation research to determine what is working. The main strategies used by activists and educators are educational presentations, self-defense training, bystander education, prevention groups for boys and men, and media campaigns.
Women's self-defense is among the most well-researched strategies for giving women the tools to reduce their risk of being raped, and numerous studies over the past 10 years clearly demonstrate that it is effective at stopping rape in progress. Self-defense training has benefits other than stopping assaults including increased assertiveness and self-confidence and decreased axiety and fear of sexual assault.
Other more recent strategies such as engaging bystanders-- people who are not perpetrating or being victimized-- to intervene and talk to friends about their abusive behaviors and/or set a more positive tone for dating and relationships . These programs have shown some early success in improving people's attitudes and intentions to step in. IMPACT is joining an increasing number of organizations in developing and implementing programs to help student and community leaders develop the skills to engage in the hard conversations that are necessary to create change. Our programs are especially promising in this area since we are already so well-versed in giving people the opportunity to communicate effectively when they are scared. Also, IMPACT's training can help ensure that bystanders have all the skills they need to maintain physical safety.
As we consider the broad range of responses that are needed to create social change that ends sexual violence, IMPACT remains strongly commited to these two important strategies.
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