Sexual Assault Prevention & Advocacy Programs by Michael F. Schryer, M.A. Theresa O'Halloran, Ph.D. Interpersonal Violence: Issues and Treatment Western Michigan University Summer Semester 1999

This webpage is the result of a project for Dr. Theresa O'Halloran's CECP 686 (Interpersonal Violence: Issues and Treatment) course taught in the summer 1999 at Western Michigan University. The assignment given was as follows:

"Select a violence related issue which you can impact in your community. Primary prevention and awareness activities are especially important ways to impact a community. Perform a basic needs analysis, design, propose, and begin implementation of the project. Samples of appropriate projects include: development of a date rape curriculum for high school counselors; develop and promote a "Black Thursday" violence awareness campaign; develop and post a webpage; or develop a positive parenting workshop for your church group. Key agencies include the YWCA, teen shelters and residential treatment centers, domestic violence shelters, crisis hotlines, counseling agencies, schools, churches, and Family Independence Agency. A report including the goals, plan, and product of your project is due on the last day of class."

At many urban state supported universities, programs and services aimed at meeting the needs of students who are sexually assaulted are woefully inadequate. Additionally, educational programs designed to increase awareness of sexual assault issues could be greatly improved and expanded. For this purpose of this project, I have reviewed the resources and services currently being offered at Western Michigan University. The purpose of this webpage is to recommend changes which can be made to current programs so that sexual assault educational and intervention efforts are being efficiently and properly addressed. With minor changes to infrastructure and at little additional cost, by forming a task force to address programming concerns, Western could easily have the many different departments and offices currently offering sexual assault services cooperating with each other, resulting in a stronger programming effort. Please take note that I should not be considered an "authority" on sexual assault issues. Any information contained in this webpage comes from my educational, personal, and professional experiences. Click on the following link to view the complete document:

Currently at Western Michigan University, there are many different programs being offered to service the needs of sexual assault prevention and intervention. However, these programs are not being centrally administered, resulting in a programmatic effort which is disjointed and not very efficient. In addition to current programs and services, there are several programming areas which should be addressed so that campus safety may be increased. With a minimal amount of effort, Western could finance and operate an Office of Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence Prevention, which could coordinate the campus-wide sexual assault prevention efforts. Many wonderful programs are currently being offered on campus but are not fully appreciated because of the lack of coordination between the departments and offices which are conducting sexual assault prevention and intervention programs.

Rape Prevention Education Program
University of California at Davis

The UC Davis Rape Prevention Education Program, a component of the University PoliceDepartment, is dedicated to reducing the incidence of sexual assault in the campus community. Our role in reducing sexual assault is multi-faceted: we work to increase campus safety, to broaden public awareness about the nature of rape and its impact on men and women, and to mitigate the trauma of the sexual assault victim. Our philosophy is that through education we can prevent the perpetuation of rape. Although education is our primary emphasis, we also provide 24 hr. crisis intervention and advocacy. We serve the students, faculty, staff and neighbors of the University, including UCDMC in Sacramento.

Rape Crisis and Anti-Violence Support Center
Columbia University and Barnard College

The Rape Crisis and Anti-Violence Support Center believes that sexual violence works in conjunction with racism, homophobia and classism. We know that sexual assault is not confined to any group or community and that the popular stereotypes lie. We know that both women and men can be survivors of sexual violence and that women are disproportionately victimized. We believe that the silencing of survivors is detrimental to the healing of individual survivors and that the silence masks an alarming frequency of sexual violence. We envision the Center as a safe place for survivors of sexual violence to speak about their experience and to break the silence and the censorship which are tacitly and explicitly encouraged by our media, administration and cultural politics. We choose to use the word survivor, rather than victim, to honor the strength and courage of the women and men who survive sexual, physical and emotional violence.

Sexual Harassment and Rape Prevention Project
University of New Hampshire

The mission of SHARPP Peer Education is to provide public awareness, to affect change in socialattitudes, and to inform the individuals and groups within the UNH campus community about issues of sexual and intimate partner violence, sexual harassment, rape culture, safety issues and SHARPP program services. Educational programs, which are developed and presented by SHARPP Peer Educators, are delivered to the UNH community to empower all of its members by increasing campus awareness and by facilitating self-discovery. The knowledge, the resources, and the tools provided by the SHARPP Peer Educators establish a foundation for individuals and groups to challenge violent and oppressive attitudes and actions, which encourage and accept sexual violence and rape culture as the norm in our society.

Arizona Rape and Sexual Assault Surveillance Project
University of Arizona

The Arizona Rape and Sexual Assault Surveillance Project is a contract through the University of Arizona, University of Arizona Prevention Center to collect sexual assault surveillance information from the programs in Arizona funded to provide rape prevention education and rape crisis hotline services in Arizona. The federal funds supporting this project are distributed nationally through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and administered locally by Diana Dexter, Program Manager, Rape Prevention Education Program of the Arizona Department of Health Services, Bureau for Prevention and Health Promotion, Office of Injury and Disability Prevention.

Rape Aggression Defense System
Tufts University

The Rape Aggression Defense System is a program of realistic, self-defense tactics and techniques. The RAD System is a comprehensive course for women that begins with awareness, prevention, risk reduction and avoidance, while progressing on to the basics of hands-on defense training. RAD is not a Martial Arts program. Our courses are taught by certified RAD Instructors and provide you with a reference manual. This manual outlines the entire Physical Defense Program for reference and continuous personal growth. The RAD System of Physical Defense is currently being taught at many colleges and universities. The growing, wide spread acceptance of this system is primarily due to the ease, simplicity and effectiveness of our tactics, solid research, legal defensibility and unique teaching methodology. The Rape Aggression Defense System is dedicated to teaching women defensive concepts and techniques against various types of assault, by utilizing easy, effective and proven self-defense/martial arts tactics. Our system of realistic defense will provide a woman with the knowledge to make an educated decision about resistance.