A sexual assault primary prevention model with diverse urban youth

J Child Sex Abus. 2011 Nov;20(6):708-27. doi: 10.1080/10538712.2011.622355.

Abstract

In this study, a nonprofit community mental health clinic developed a socioecological model of sexual abuse prevention that was implemented in a public school. The goal of the program was to promote and create community change within individuals and the school community by reducing tolerance of sexual violence and sexual harassment. Participants were 5th-12th graders at a school from a Midwest city. Completed measures were obtained from 202 students, and a quasiexperimental time series research design was developed to evaluate the effectiveness of the prevention program. The program was found to be effective at increasing participant's knowledge of sexual abuse, awareness of school and community sexual assault support resources, and identification of components of healthy and unhealthy relationships.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Female
  • Health Promotion / organization & administration*
  • Humans
  • Interpersonal Relations
  • Male
  • Models, Psychological*
  • Peer Group
  • Primary Prevention / organization & administration*
  • Rape / prevention & control
  • School Health Services / organization & administration
  • Self Concept
  • Sex Offenses / psychology*
  • Sexual Harassment / psychology*
  • Students / psychology
  • Students / statistics & numerical data*
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • United States / epidemiology
  • Urban Population / statistics & numerical data