Rape Prevention Education Program
Strategic Plan
Fiscal Year 2001 through Fiscal Year 2003


Arizona Department of Health Services
Office of Injury and Disability Prevention
DRAFT


October 2000
Permission to quote from or reproduce materials from this publication is granted when acknowledgment is made


Arizona Department of Health Services 
Office of Injury And Disability Prevention
Rape Prevention Education Program

Strategic Plan 

Fiscal Year 2001 through Fiscal Year 2003 

Background 
This plan was originally developed in 1997 by representatives from the Arizona Department of Health Services and rape prevention education program contractors. The plan was updated by the group in October 1998, October 1999, and October 2000. 

Scope of the Plan 
This is a plan for the Arizona Department of Health Services Rape Prevention Education Program. It should not be construed to be a comprehensive plan for rape prevention education in the State of Arizona. 
Mission 
The Rape Prevention Education Program promotes prevention of sexual coercion and violence by supporting acquisition of knowledge about sexual coercion and violence and the application of that knowledge to diverse prevention efforts throughout Arizona. 

Vision Statement 
Prevention efforts lead to a world where people respect one another, feel safe, and are free from sexual coercion and violence.

Guiding Principles 

Principle 1 
Prevention of sexual coercion and violence can occur at all levels. Ideally sexual coercion and violence would be prevented before they occur (primary prevention). Early detection and intervention (secondary prevention), as well as intervention to prevent harmful effects (tertiary prevention), are also key components of a comprehensive strategy to reduce sexual coercion and violence and their consequences. 

Principle 2 
In order to prevent sexual coercion and violence, efforts must be thoroughly grounded in an understanding of the causes. This means that there must be an examination of the basis of oppression and violence in general and sexual violence in particular at all levels, from the intrapersonal level to the societal level. Furthermore, effective rape prevention efforts must be built on a foundation of theory and lessons learned from research, evaluation, and community experience. 

Principle 3 
To order to prevent sexual coercion and violence, everyone must take personal responsibility for conveying respect for all people. Everyone has the right to be heard, to express self, to make informed choices, and to have their choices respected. 

Principle 4 
Awareness is an important first step toward the prevention of sexual coercion and violence. Awareness must be accompanied by knowledge, skills, and positive attitudes toward self and others in order to make healthy relationships possible. 

Principle 5 
Education can be a powerful tool in the prevention of sexual coercion and violence. Education must begin in early childhood and continue throughout the life span. The focus of education will differ depending on the target audience, their needs, and their experiences. An effective education program, therefore, must be grounded in a thorough assessment of needs and understanding of the target audience’s experiences. Furthermore, rape prevention education programs for all target audiences will be more effective if they are built on a strong foundation of nonbiased, comprehensive health education and an understanding of human sexuality. 

Principle 6 
Rape prevention efforts must be respectful of and emerge from the language, culture, and characteristics of the target audience. 

Principle 7 
Rape prevention efforts must not convey blame for survivors of sexual coercion or violence and must recognize the accountability of perpetrators. 

Principle 8 
Because education and other rape prevention efforts may heighten awareness among audience members that leads to a recognition that they may be a survivor or a perpetrator, access to resources and/or services must be facilitated. 

Principle 9 
It takes everyone working together to create a world that is free from sexual coercion and violence. Therefore, collaboration is necessary within communities large and small throughout Arizona, and with others outside the state as well, in order to maximize the success of prevention efforts. 

Key Directions 

Key Direction 1 
Provide information resources and technical assistance that contribute to heightening awareness and the prevention of sexual coercion and violence. 
Strategies: 
1.1 Continue quarterly meetings as a forum for sharing information and providing technical assistance to and among contractors. 
1.2 Continue site visits, individual meetings, and other means of providing information and technical assistance by RPEP staff and consultants. 
1.3 Build on-line information transmission resources, resources permitting. Explore the possibility of enhancing the website and facilitating on-line communication among contractors. 
1.4 Develop a guide to ADHS reporting. Include instructions and samples of completed reports. Explore the possibility of posting this information on the website. 

Key Direction 2 
Improve communication, coordination, and collaboration among those involved in rape prevention education. 
Strategies: 
2.1 Continue quarterly meetings and design agendas to promote communication, coordination, and collaboration with and among contractors. 
2.2 Build on-line communication resources, resources permitting. Explore the possibility of enhancing the website and facilitating on-line communication among contractors. 
2.3 Promote problem solving related to programmatic and administrative issues of mutual interest that are identified by contractors. 
2.4 Promote communication, coordination, and collaboration among contractors serving the same geographic region. 
2.5 Encourage visits among contractors to promote program enhancement. 

Key Direction 3 
Build program capacity by strengthening state and local program infrastructure. 

Strategies: 
3.1 Provide an orientation and ongoing technical assistance as needed for new contractor program managers in order to acquaint them with ADHS requirements and build program infrastructure. 
3.2 Review contractors’ strategic and operational plans and provide feedback and technical assistance as needed within available resources. 
3.3 Review contractors’ evaluation models and provide feedback and technical assistance as needed within available resources. 
3.4 Review contractors’ curricula and provide feedback and technical assistance as needed within available resources. 
3.5 Review contractors’ policies and procedures and provide feedback and technical assistance as needed within available resources. 
3.6 Facilitate collaboration among contractors for the purpose of strengthening infrastructure. 
3.7 Identify areas in which contractor capacity needs to be built. Provide training designed to build capacity in these areas, information about training, and/or support for attendance at training, resources permitting, 

Key Direction 4 
Identify need for and support rape prevention education throughout Arizona, including sustaining or expanding successful programs and stimulating the development of new programs. 
Strategies: 
4.1 Increase understanding of the ADHS Request for Proposal (RFP) and contracting processes by providing training on the RFP process, how to prepare proposals for new and ongoing programs, and contracting requirements. 
4.2 Provide funding to support rape prevention education programs in Arizona, within the limits of available funding. 
4.3 Continue to assess the availability of new resources for program expansion. 
4.4 Promote evaluation of State and contractor rape prevention education programs. Review evaluation results and utilize the information to guide decision making and program improvement.