Background
The Sisters 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. Sexual Health Quarters 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 Sisters Program will be a sexual violence prevention education program for young people in custody, developed in collaboration with boys in a custodial setting and women in a pre-release centre.
Aim
The program aims to increase participants’ understandings of power dynamics and consent, and their knowledge, confidence and skills to build healthy and respectful relationships.
Methods
The evaluation will employ creative and qualitative methods to gain in-depth insights into the program’s effectiveness in enhancing boys’ (aged 10 to 17) knowledge and skills surrounding respectful relationships and consent.
The design includes:
>Interviews and focus groups
>Observational forms
>Art-based data
Significance
The Sisters Program will be a culturally centred, trauma-informed and strengths-based relationships and sexuality education program for young people in custodial settings, developed with boys and women in custody. It will be one of the first known sexual violence prevention programs in an Australian custodial setting that has been designed with community and will address a significant gap in public health and education for this cohort. The program directly improves the welfare and wellbeing of participants by enhancing emotional awareness and knowledge of respectful relationships, and consent, which are importance factors against sexual violence. The program also enhances equity and inclusion by engaging participants in the program’s design, ensuring its relevance to their lived realities. The realist evaluation will generate critical insights into what works, for whom, and under what circumstances, which will inform future prevention efforts in prisons. SHQ staff will be upskilled in realist evaluation methods and qualitative data analysis, enhancing professional capabilities within the sector. The findings of the research project will be translated into practical guidance for implementation in other custodial settings. The research findings will be used to advocate for increased investment in primary and secondary sexual violence prevention initiatives in custodial systems, informing policy and service delivery. In doing so, the Sisters Program contributes to La Trobe’s goals of creating inclusive communities, enhancing wellbeing, reducing harm, and producing research that shapes more equitable health and justice systems.
Funding Body
La Trobe University and Department of Social Services
Project start date
May 2025
Expected completion date
December 2026 
