The exploratory study examined the effects of gender and specific personality characteristics on bystander attitudes and behaviors.  The study discusses the development of measures of bystander attitudes and behaviors and includes preliminary analyses of the correlates of bystander behaviors among a sample of 389 undergraduate students.  Results were consistent with previous findings in that prosocial behaviors were higher among individuals with greater knowledge of sexual violence.  Those who perceived higher effectiveness as a bystander were more willing to practice prosocial behaviors, and reported a greater number of actual behaviors.

The intent of this paper was to review shared and independent risk and protective factors for male bullying and sexual violence perpetration, examine the relationship, describe how the social-ecological framework may be useful in understanding the association, and provide a summary of current research.  Results indicated that both behaviors share many risk and protective factors, but more research is needed as well as a theoretical model to explain the development, progression, and interrelationships of bullying and sexual violence perpetration. Authors suggested that bullying prevention strategies need to be designed to teach youth skills for reducing impulsive behavior, enhance parental support and connectedness to schools. Themes that should be addressed are indentified.

This study examined strategies used by victims to stop bullying and the victim’s perception of each strategy’s success. Ten schools in 1 urban school district participated. The range of grades served by each school ranged from kindergarten to 8th grade. In 2006, The Philadelphia Bullying Survey (PBS) was developed based on the Olweus Bully Victim and administered to students by school staff. Findings indicated that 50% of students reported victimization and 10% reported more than one type of victimization. Males were more likely to report name-calling, physical aggression, and relational exclusion. Females were more likely to report rumor mongering and sexual comment or gestures. Supportive social networks acted as a protective factor. Strategies used by victims included: fighting back, ignoring the bullying, telling an adult at home, telling a peer, and telling an adult at school. Fighting back was seen as the most successful strategy for both genders. Victims who fought back were more likely to report using both passive and reporting strategies, and experiencing chronic victimization and fear. Students and staff should be educated on the consequences of fighting back and school policies should be altered to better respond to bullying.

Data was collected in 2004 from 1,653 students from a racially and ethnically diverse high-risk high school.  A survey was administered to measure dating violence, same-sex violence, and suicidal behavior. A 5 cluster method was used to identify groups of individuals with patterns of co-occurring traits or behaviors.  The clusters were Low Violence, Peer Context, Dating Context, Psychological Abuse, and High Violence. Findings suggested that adolescents involved in general violence may be involved in dating and same-sex peer violence and youth that report the highest levels of interpersonal violence are at greater risk for suicidal behaviors.

The sample included 3,187 undergraduate females from 32 colleges who completed a self-report questionnaire (National Survey of Intergender Relationships). Students were asked about experiences pertaining to unwanted sexual contact, sexual coercion, attempted and/or completed rape, assault characteristics, their perception concerning their victimization experiences, and postassault experiences. Analyses compared women with preassault training to women without any reported self-defense or assertiveness training prior to their assault experiences. Findings revealed that students who had participated in training were more likely to be less scared and more angry during their assault than women who had not had any training. The former were also more likely to report success at stopping the offender. Interestingly, though, the students with preassault trainings were also more likely to undervalue the extent of their resistance. The authors postulate ways in which such findings may improve prevention programs designed to enhance women’s resistance strategies while also recognizing that the origin of sexual violence still rests with males.

Data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health was used to examine mediating mechanisms and predictors that may link childhood experiences of violence or neglect to early adulthood sexually coercive behaviors with romantic partners. Predictive factors identified from the Confluence Model of sexual aggression included: impersonal sexual attitudes and beliefs and alcohol use and delinquency. Those with a history of childhood victimization comprised less than 30 percent of the sample, yet accounted for 45 percent of those reporting coercive behaviors, however, 55 percent of those who reported coercive behaviors did not report any childhood abuse experiences.  Results indicated that physical and sexual abuse was significantly associated with sexually coercive behavior in adulthood and that childhood sexual victimization was mediated by early sexual initiation and adolescent delinquent behavior.  Implications for practice included: prevention efforts should target victims of childhood abuse, sexual violence prevention content should be included in programs aimed at reducing violence and delinquency among adolescents, and multifactated prevention approaches are needed.

The focus of these programs generally includes risk reduction and self-defense, among other preventative measures. Previous studies have shown that fraternities may reinforce rape myth acceptance among members; therefore, the current study implemented a date and acquaintance rape prevention program aimed to educate male college students affiliated with fraternities. The participants included 149 male fraternity members from a large, public university. Each participant attended a peer led, 1-hour program derived from the Men Against Violence (MAV) student organization program model. The issues addressed during the program were: (a) rape statistics, (b) legal definitions of rape, (c) rape myth acceptance, and (d) repercussions from drug usage in the facilitation of rape. After completing the program, the participants were asked to fill out an evaluation developed to record how the program content affected each of the men. Results of the qualitative analysis indicated that the program was informational – especially in the areas of legal definitions of rape and the harmful nature of gamma hydroxybutyrate (GHB), a date rape drug. Further analysis showed that many of the men believed the most important element of the program was the dispelling of rape myth beliefs that can potentially lead to rape. Results from this study suggest a need for more rape prevention programs for college men. Important attributes of such programs should include the clarification of rape definitions and a strong focus on the elimination of rape myth acceptance beliefs.

Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) is used by people who have difficulty speaking, and includes signing systems as well as communication devices and tablets. This article describes “Speak Up – Safeguarding People who use Augmentative Communication from Sexual Abuse/Victimization,” a 3-year program to identify and address issues related to intimate relationships, sexuality, and abuse. Most of the 26 participants (14 males, 12 females) requested information on healthy sexuality and disability as well as dealing with sexual abuse. Most reported that they had not received this information from parents, schools, or helping professionals. Other types of abuse were also discussed. Initially, some participants did not recognize abusive experiences in their lives because the behavior was so common that it was not considered unusual. Over the study period, half of participants requested counseling services to address issues of past or on-going abuse. Barriers to education and services were considerable for this population, as most legal and health system professionals have limited understanding of AAC, and many AAC systems did not include vocabulary that would allow people to discuss sex or abuse. To meet the identified needs of the participants, the researchers prepared educational materials for their use (available online) and developed resources and recommendations for families and service providers (available online and appended to the article).

This article examines the theoretical foundation of the RPE theory model and explores how to apply the model for ending sexual violence through a case study of 1 RPE grantee’s EMPOWER Program (New Jersey). The case study provided information on how the model was used to guide stakeholders and build capacity during the development of the state sexual violence prevention plan and the successes and challenges faced while using the RPE theory model. Foundational theories and their implications included: community readiness theory, diffusion of innovation, theory of reasoned action, theory of planned behavior, and the health belief model. The RPE theory model provided the grantee’s prevention team with a greater understanding of how individual change and community change are linked and how to design effective prevention strategies. Providing concrete examples of strategies, based on each of the theories, may make the concepts easier to understand.

Studies on perpetrators of stranger rape have suggested psychopathology as the cause of their actions, according to sociocultural theory, perpetrators of acquaintance rape and date rape may be motivated by gender role ideology. The authors of this study investigated whether sex role socialization modifies males’ attitudes and beliefs condoning rape. A total of 90 fraternity men (between the ages of 18–23 years old), attending a large college in the Midwest, were asked to participate in this study. The participants were divided into three groups: (a) a control group, (b) a group that attended a traditional date rape prevention program, and (c) a group that attended a program aimed at identifying and addressing the gender role ideals of the participants. Each group attended one 90-minute session and was given a pretest, posttest, and a follow-up posttest. Results indicate that both of the treatment groups exhibited lower acceptance of rape myths and an increased understanding of coercion and consent; with the group that attended the traditional date rape prevention program retaining the most information about consent/coercion after six weeks. Gender role conflict was significantly associated with rape myth acceptance. Future research might investigate whether more long-term rape prevention program regimens would prove to have longer lasting effects on gender role ideals and attitudes contributing to acquaintance rape and date rape perpetration.

This study examined longitudinal predicators of dating violence perpetration among 1,666 adolescents in the 8th, 9th, and 10th grades from public schools in 3 nonmetropolitan counties in North Carolina. Participants completed questionaries from 2003 to 2004. Findings indicated that 16% (n=270) initiated dating violence between assessments and friends using dating violence was a predicator for perpetration among all groups. Race was found to be a predicator of dating violence perpetration, but sex was not. Black adolescents were more likely to initiate dating violence perpetration than White adolescents. Anxiety predicted perpetration by White adolescents and anger predicated perpetration among Black adolescents. Variables that predicated perpetration by girls included depression, marijuna use, and aggression against peers. Selective interventions for high-risk groups are warranted. Interventions targeted at girls should address depression, correlates and causes of depression, substance use, and aggression against peers.

The CDC applies the public health approach to different areas of violence prevention, including intimate partner violence, sexual violence, child maltreatment, youth violence, and suicide prevention. The Division of Violence Prevention focuses on applied research and technical assistance to community-based organizations. All violence objectives and projects are influenced by the CDC'S values in primary prevention, good science, public education, causal factors, and a vision for non-violent communities.

This study had several goals: to investigate rates of forced and verbal sexual coercion and sexual revictimization around the world, association between sexual coercion and adversarial sexual beliefs, and association between childhood sexual abuse and current victimization of sexual aggression in both men and women. Information was gathered from the International Dating Violence Study where questionnaires were completed by students in a classroom setting at various universities around the world.  The findings suggest that adversarial beliefs about romantic relationships were associated with sexual coercion for both genders.  The sites with high rates of hostile beliefs about the opposite sex observed a higher number of reports of verbal and forced sexual coercion victimization.

While there is a shortage of empirical evidence that self-defense classes actually do reduce a participant's risk of being sexually assaulted, circumstantial evidence indicates that such classes ought to be effective in reducing women’s fear and in improving their responses to violence. The current study was based on the results of surveys given to 36 women (mean age of 21 years) who had enrolled in two feminist self-defense classes taught over a 10-week period at a state university. The participants completed a survey before and after the self-defense class. As was hypothesized, the students felt more confident in their ability to prevent and avoid dangerous situations. Furthermore, they described additional improvements in their everyday lives; namely, the participants reported an improvement in their ability to interact with strangers, acquaintances, friends, employers, teachers, and intimates, as well as improvements in their feelings about their own bodies, their perceived self confidence, and their beliefs about men, women, and gender issues. The author suggests that the feminist self-defense classes transform women's lives regarding the fear of sexual assault, as well as transform their perception of their value in the world and their concept of gender. Hollander proposes that the lessons learned by participants concerning their everyday lives will indirectly reduce their likelihood of victimization by increasing their ability to prevent or respond to violence while positively impacting their overall sense of self and their place in the world as women.

This study examined the effects of El Joven Noble, a gender-based social bond theory intervention, on violence related attitudes among 31 students in a predominately Mexican American community in South Texas. El Joven Noble was originally designed for high-risk males in Latino communities in California. The curriculum consists of 10 sessions implemented weekly during an after school program. Findings indicated no significant differences between the intervention and control groups. High-risk students in the intervention group reported changes in non-violence self-efficacy scores post intervention and 3 months post intervention. El Joven Noble showed secondary violence prevention effects, but not primary prevention effects. Community participation helps programs address discrimination, historical context of the impact of oppression, and intergenerational trauma.

Four classrooms of fourth-grade students (n=77) participated in Urban Improv (UI), a youth violence prevention program incorporating theater and education. The program consisted of nine weekly sessions, and incorporated experiential learning and discussion. Students in participating classrooms were compared with students in four classrooms that did not participate in UI (controls: n=63). Students and teachers completed pre- and post-program evaluations. Students completed self-report on measures on their social skills, problem behaviors, coping style, and attitudes and beliefs about aggression. Teachers reported on their students’ demonstration of pro-social skills (cooperation, self-control, and assertiveness) and problem behaviors. Though student self-reports did not indicate changes between pre- and post-tests, teacher post-program assessments showed significant positive differences between participants and controls. Participants were found to maintain baseline levels of aggression, while controls’ aggressive behavior increased. Pro-social behaviors increased in the participant group and decreased in the control group. Additionally, students who participated in the program showed an improvement in attention/ engagement behaviors, while non-participants showed a decrease in those behaviors.

The authors reviewed the feminist theoretical basis for sexual violence prevention programs, which states that cultural norms and unequal gender roles lead inevitably to violence against women. They argue that education efforts that address attitudes about gender roles and seek to build relationship skills can be made more effective by incorporating them into comprehensive and community change models. Several comprehensive programs developed using the Ecological Model and the Spectrum of Prevention model are described. Examples of programs based on community mobilization, changing social norms, and social marketing illustrate community level prevention strategies. The importance of promoting policy changes at local and national levels is emphasized. Finally, the authors call for more funding and research into cultural causes of and responses to sexual violence.

This paper examines three related coping theories; adaptive, proactive, and resistive-defensive and addresses how they may provide a framework to organize women’s coping efforts after sexual victimization in order to decrease the negative aspects of assault and reduce the likelihood of revictimization.  The paper consists of several sections: a summary of research on revictimization, a description of the three types of coping theories, the connections between theories, limitations of the research, and recommendations for future research.

This study examined the outcomes and process of a pilot bystander education program among 41 men from a northeast urban community. The study utilized both qualitative and quantitative methods: a post-test survey (n=41) and individual interviews 6-months after the training (n=8). The curricula wad developed by experts in the IPV field and produced by Men Can Stop Rape. All trainings were co-led by a male and female facilitator. Results of the survey indicated a positive impact on bystander knowledge and behaviors; however, those who knew a survivor of abuse were less willing to intervene as a bystander. All 8 men interviewed reported that they did not learn new information from the training and did not report attitude changes about intimate partner violence or sexism based on the training. Men reported that the most useful part of the training was talking with other men about IPV. Bystander education programs should be flexible and creative in approaches, consider small group formats, and provide specific definitions of a bystander and skill development.

This article provides an overview of current sexual assault programming efforts targeted at men and program limitations. Reviews of programming include information about the intervention design, length, modality, recipients, facilitator characteristics, outcomes, follow-up assessment and foci. Three social psychological theories that target belief and behavior change (i.e., social norms, hypocrisy, salience, decision, and deterrence) are applied to the programs reviewed. Recommendations based on the application of the theoretical constructs to the current literature for practice and research is provided.

This study examined how 372 college student’s perceptions of their self and their peer group portrayed in poster images affected their willingness take on prosocial bystander behaviors. The posters used for this study were from the sexual violence prevention poster campaign, Know Your Power. One situation portrayed in a poster showed 2 women strategizing on how to stop a young man leading an incapacitated young woman upstairs at a house party. Posters were displayed throughout a midsize northeastern university and surrounding businesses for 4 weeks. At the end of the poster campaign students were tasked to complete an online survey. Findings indicated that participants who saw the posters and were familiar with the content were more likely to report they were comfortable in taking on prosocial bystander roles. Students who indicated that the scenes portrayed situations that were familiar to them were more likely to take action or contemplate taking action in situations where sexual violence may occur. Social marketing campaigns may be more effective if campaign designers ensure that the target audience can recognize themselves, people like them, or their friends in the campaigns and the situations that are familiar to them.

This was a qualitative study that examined family, peer, school, and community contexts among male urban youth in New England who were perpetrators of IPV.  Interviews were conducted with 25 young men from five school and community-based IPV intervention programs for male perpetrators.  Themes that emerged from the interviews included; disruptive home environments, lack of positive male role models, peers who used substances, gang involvement, supporting behaviors of sexual mistreatment of females, lack of educational support, and impact of exposure to violence and/or fear of violence in their communities.

A review of the body of literature on risk factors for sexual assault is also presented. Strategies for improving rape prevention programs are highlighted and include identifying targets for behavioral change based on risk factors and training women in rape resistance strategies. Results suggested that attitude change was a less effective prevention approach.

This article is a report from the Center of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) which examined individual and peer level sexual risk factors associated with sexual violence perpetration and negative sexual health outcomes. Risk factors for sexual violence perpetration and prevention programs are reviewed. Authors suggested that forms of unhealthy sexual behavior may be influenced by risk factors, similar to risk factors that may cause an increased risk for individuals to engage in both sexual violence and risky sexual behaviors. Sexual violence prevention programs may benefit from addressing the same risk factors that other fields (i.e., HIV/STDs and teen pregnancy prevention) address. Opportunities for cross-cutting approaches to sexual violence prevention are discussed. The intersection between sexual violence and other aspects of sexual health and healthy sexual development should be analyzed in order to develop programs and adapt evidenced-based strategies to prevent sexual violence and/or develop comprehensive prevention programs that reduce multiple negative outcomes.

This article contains qualitative findings from interviews conducted with adult prevention educators from 52 programs in the United States about peer education and leadership for youth (middle and high school) dating violence risk reduction. Logistics, strengths, challenges, implementation, and training of peer educators are discussed. Other forms of youth leadership such as advisory boards and youth outreach programs are described. Most programs presented information on definitions and types violence, myths and stereotypes, gender roles, media and music, and healthy relationships. Theatrical approaches were common. The importance of recruiting a diverse group of adolescents as well as the strengths and potential personal issues that peer leaders may bring to programs were discussed. Training for peer leaders ranged from 4 to 27 hours and consisted of ongoing trainings, group building exercises, and weekly meetings. Common challenges included recruiting a diverse group of peers, scheduling meetings and trainings, and lack of funding. A lack of attention to theory and evaluation was missing from many programs. Behavioral, knowledge, and attitudinal measures should be included in the evaluation of programs.

A developmental ecological model was used to examine associations between cross-gender (e.g., female-to-male) violence and attitudes toward dating conflict among 601 fifth grade students. A path model was used to identify multi-variable influences that may predict attitudes toward dating conflict among early adolescents.  Girls were more likely than boys to perpetrate cross-gender violence and reported more hostile attitudes toward dating conflict. Those who reported cross-gender victimization stated that they would be more likely to use coercive and abusive methods to resolve conflicts.  Boys were more likely to report cross-gender victimization.  Parenting, peer, and neighborhood factors contribute to cross-gender violence, but differences were reported between genders.  Parental harsh discipline, neighborhood hazards, and lower family income were more significant predictors for boys.  Implications for practice included: prevention efforts that target both genders during early adolescence, reduction of disruptive behaviors, and social skills and cognitive-behavioral training to promote prosocial responses to anger.

The purpose of this study was to determine if an interactive curriculum that integrated dating violence prevention with lessons on healthy relationships, sexual health, and substance use reduced PDV 2.5 years later among 1, 722 students in Ontario, Canada. The secondary purpose of the study was to reduce risk behaviors of peer violence, substance use, and condom use. In 2004, schools were randomly assigned to intervention or control groups and the program was implemented among 9th grade students. Findings indicated: by the end of 11th grade PDV increased for all students from approximately 1% to 8%, PDV was higher for students in control group (9%) than the intervention group (7%), the effect of the intervention was different between boys and girls. No significant differences between the groups were reported for physical peer violence, substance use, or condom use. Authors suggested that methods developed for single-focused interventions can be combined from a core relationship perspective and teachers with training can implement evidenced-based prevention programs.

This article presents the magnitude of the problem and consequences of child sexual abuse (CSA), a history of personal safety education and evidence about effectiveness of child-focused programs, and recommendations for expansion and alternative approaches to primary prevention of CSA. Recommendations for a comprehensive approach to primary prevention include: strategies that target children/youth, parents, professionals, and general public. Child/youth-focused programs should focus on potential perpetrators and include information about CSA in curricula that promote healthy sexuality and healthy relationships.