Multiple sexual violence prevention tools: doses and boosters
Journal of Aggression, Conflict and Peace Research
ISSN: 1759-6599
Article publication date: 18 December 2017
Issue publication date: 20 March 2018
Abstract
Purpose
Sexual violence prevention programs on college campuses have proliferated in recent years. While research has also increased, a number of questions remain unanswered that could assist campus administrators in making evidence-based decisions about implementation of prevention efforts. To that end, the field of prevention science has highlighted the need to examine the utility of booster sessions for enhancing prevention education. The purpose of this paper is to examine how two methods of prevention delivery – small group educational workshops and a community-wide social marketing campaign (SMC) – worked separately and together to promote attitude change related to sexual violence among college students.
Design/methodology/approach
The two-part study was conducted at two universities. Participants were from successive cohorts of first year students and randomly assigned to participate in a bystander based in-person sexual violence prevention program or a control group. Participants were later exposed to a bystander based sexual violence prevention SMC either before or after a follow-up survey. Analyses investigated if attitudes varied by exposure group (program only, SMC only, both program and SMC, no prevention exposure).
Findings
Results revealed benefits of the SMC as a booster for attitude changes related to being an active bystander to prevent sexual violence. Further, students who first participated in the program showed enhanced attitude effects related to the SMC.
Originality/value
This is the first study to look at the combination of effects of different sexual violence prevention tools on student attitudes. It also showcases a method for how to investigate if prevention tools work separately and together.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
Funding for this research was provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The views expressed here are those of the authors and do not represent the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Citation
Banyard, V., Potter, S.J., Cares, A.C., Williams, L.M., Moynihan, M.M. and Stapleton, J.G. (2018), "Multiple sexual violence prevention tools: doses and boosters", Journal of Aggression, Conflict and Peace Research, Vol. 10 No. 2, pp. 145-155. https://doi.org/10.1108/JACPR-05-2017-0287
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2018, Emerald Publishing Limited