Innovations in Community-Level Prevention
Publication Date: 2017
Abstract: Many prevention activities focus on changing individual's knowledge and attitudes and developing new skills that redefine relationships such as promoting healthy intimate relationships and empowering bystanders to intervene in situations that are either high risk for sexual violence or reinforce rape culture. However, focusing on individual behavior alone will not prevent sexual violence. Efforts must take a comprehensive approach and must also focus on the environmental and social factors that influence individual behaviors. This report focuses on how programs at the local and state levels have worked to engage with communities through community mobilization and public policy. The programs highlighted in this report demonstrate that while community change is complex, it is also possible and promising. Sufficient investment and a long-term commitment to this work are necessary for it to succeed.