Background
The Laurel House High School program is being evaluated as part of the Partners in Prevention of Sexual Violence Project, which is funding nine community organisation and their prevention of sexual violence programs. Laurel House has developed the program, which has then gone through a 6-month development process with the research team at La Trobe University, which has included developing a rigorous evaluation plan. The program is designed for secondary school students in northern Tasmania, their parents, teachers, and school staff.
Aim
The program aims to educate students about the importance of consent, boundaries, and healthy relationships. The program includes sessions for students, an educational session for parents and caregivers, and a session for school staff to ensure a ‘whole-of-school approach’. Laurel House has partnered with Women’s Legal Service Tasmania.
Methods
The evaluation of the Laurel House Schools Education Program will involve a longitudinal, mixed-methods approach, which will be assessed in a cluster randomised controlled trial (cRCT).
The design will include:
>Pre and-post surveys
>Interviews and focus groups
>Fidelity sheets
Significance
The evaluation of the Laurel House Schools Education Program could have substantial implications for policy and practice. If proven effective, the program will enhance public health outcomes by reducing sexual violence through improvements in students’ knowledge, attitudes, and behavioural intentions. It may also contribute to better mental health and wellbeing by fostering safer school environments and broader benefits at all socioecological levels. Given that all participating schools are in regional, rural, and remote areas, the findings could advance equity in health and education by generating critical insights into primary prevention strategies for non-urban settings. The results could inform government agencies in scaling up evidence-based sexual violence prevention programs in schools, ensuring policy decisions are underpinned by rigorous evidence. A successful intervention may also prompt conceptual shifts in understanding the structural and systemic drivers of sexual violence, contributing to theoretical advancements in the field. As a cluster randomised controlled trial (cRCT), this study will strengthen the evidence base by providing high-quality, methodologically robust data on program efficacy. Such evidence is essential for policymakers to justify investments in the primary prevention of sexual violence.
Funding Body
La Trobe University and Department of Social Services
Project start date
May 2025
Expected completion date
December 2026 
