Increasing Access to Sexual Violence Education: Perspectives of Victim Services Agency Staff

• In Event: Cultural and Community Influences on Violence and Prevention

Abstract

A key part of preventing sexual violence and building a community that supports survivors is education on sexual violence. However, funding, staffing, and research focuses more heavily on intervention services versus prevention and education. How can agencies best maximize the limited resources they have for education to prevent sexual violence? This study addresses that question via a qualitative thematic analysis of focus groups with staff (n = 7) at one victim services agency in a large metropolitan area. This was part of a larger study of increasing accessibility to victim services for individuals living with disabilities. Questions on sexual violence education focused on barriers to accessing education, suggestions for increasing access, and knowledge of successful (and unsuccessful) strategies for providing sexual violence prevention education.  Preliminary themes center on issues of accessibility of education and materials (e.g., languages other than English, large size font, technology to increase accessibility), gaining access to populations to provide education (e.g., schools, individuals with disabilities, partnering with other agencies for access), resources (e.g., funding, manpower), and stigma around the topic of sexual violence. Findings provide a roadmap for agencies to follow to increase access to existing educational efforts given limited resources.

Authors

• Brittany Ashton Teeples, University of Central Florida

• Alison Cares, University of Central Florida

• Julia O'Connor, University of Utah

• Caitlyn Pham, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine