EXTERNALLY FUNDED RESEARCH PROJECTS
Partners in Prevention of Sexual Violence Project
Background
The Partners in Prevention of Sexual Violence Project is evaluating community-led interventions that impact the identified drivers and reinforcing factors of violence against women and children (Our Watch, 2021). The project is building on a Theory of Change (Hooker et al., 2021) by adopting the socio-ecological model to design the implementation and evaluation of select sexual violence prevention interventions across Australia. A previous evidence review of sexual violence primary prevention programs (Hooker et al., 2020) identified gaps in the global evidence, which we will act on to improve the national evidence base.
Aim
The aims of the project are to:
- work with community organisations to deliver up to 10 interventions to prevent sexual violence within the community
- deliver high-quality evaluations of interventions for up to 10 community organisations
- determine, through the evidence collected through these interventions, what elements are effective or ineffective for reducing the drivers and reinforcing factors of sexual violence
- increase community, academic and government knowledge of effective sexual violence prevention interventions.
La Trobe University is funding nine community organisations as part of the Partners in Prevention of Sexual Violence project to deliver their prevention of sexual violence programs, which will be evaluated to determine their effectiveness in preventing sexual violence.
Programs
- SAGE+ Program (Brisbane Youth Service)
- Tackling Consent Program (Centre Against Violence)
- High School Program (Laurel House, Sexual Assault Support)
- Whole of School Program (Learning Consent)
- Sort Your Safety Program (Prosper Project Australia)
- The Sisters Program (Sexual Health Quarters)
- CaRE Program (Sexual Assault Support Services)
- REVIVE Prevention Program (Transforming Justice Australia)
- Parents are Partners Program (Women’s Health in the South-East)
This program is designed for young LGBTQ+ people at risk of homelessness and aims to enhance their sense of community, self-esteem, and knowledge of safe and healthy relationships. It also aims to create a trauma-informed space for LGBTQ+ young adults.
This program is designed for regional and rural junior sports clubs, players, parents, mentors and coaches. It aims to improve young people’s understanding, attitudes and behaviours related to sexual violence and harmful sexual behaviours within sporting club environments to foster a culture of respect and safety.
This program is designed for secondary school students in northern Tasmania, as well as their parents, teachers and school staff. It aims to educate students about the importance of consent, boundaries and healthy relationships.
This program aims to address the drivers of sexual violence by engaging students from early primary through to secondary school to challenge gender norms, harmful masculinities and stereotypes that normalise harmful power dynamics in relationships and heighten the risk of sexual violence.
This program is designed for young LGBTQ+ people in NSW and Western Australia. It aims to enhance their understanding of sexual boundaries and increase connection to community, self-esteem and knowledge of health and respectful relationships.
The program is designed for boys in a custodial setting, with co-design input from boys and women incarcerated in a pre-release centre. It aims to increase the boys' self-esteem, understanding of power dynamics and consent, and ability to build healthy and respectful relationships.
This program is designed for university students living in residential accommodation and aims to increase the student awareness of consent laws and bodily rights, understand power and privilege, challenge social norms and improve behaviour through engaging respectfully in sexual relationships.
The program is designed for men at risk of causing or perpetrating sexual harm. It aims to reduce risk factors for committing sexual harm by addressing key risk factors using a restorative justice approach. It will address harmful attitudes and behaviours and support men to develop healthy and respectful relationships and prosocial behaviour.
The program is designed for parents and caregivers with students in early secondary school. The program aims to enhance the knowledge, skills and confidence of parents and caregivers of young people in diverse school environments to discuss consent, healthy and respectful relationships, sex, sexuality and sexual health and gender-based violence, with a specific focus on sexual violence.