| What is
the.... Sexual Violence Prevention and Education Program (SVPEP)?
The Arizona
Department of Health Services receives funds from the Centers for
Disease Control (CDC) to provide programs aimed at preventing sexual
violence and rape in Arizona. Currently,
there are seven non-profit agencies in three counties receiving funds
to support a variety of primary educational programs throughout the state.
The
target populations include students in junior high through college,
women in the community, professionals (medical, legal, law enforcement),
and minority populations, such as mono/bilingual Latino youth and Native
American youth.
In 2006 RPEP was renamed the Sexual Violence Prevention and Education Program
(SVPEP)
to reflect its broader goals of ending all sexual violence, to include teen
dating violence.
Why
is this program needed?
Rape/sexual violence
is one of life’s most devastating traumas and is likely to lead to
chronic illness. Victims of sexual violence often manifest long-term symptoms of chronic headaches, fatigue,
sleep disturbance, recurrent nausea, decreased appetite, eating
disorders, menstrual pain, sexual dysfunction, and suicide
attempts. In a longitudinal study, sexual assault was found to increase
the odds of substance abuse by a factor of 2.5.
Estimates based on federal incidence data indicate almost 5
per 100 women over 12 years old were raped or sexually abused. It is
estimated 8 of 10 rape victims know the rapist.
Estimates of the occurrence of sexually transmitted diseases
resulting from rape range from 3.6% to 30%. The risk of being infected
with HIV from rape is estimated at 1 in 500.
Victims
of marital or date rape are 11 times more likely to be clinically
depressed, and 6 times more likely to experience social phobia than are
non-victims. Psychological problems are still evident in cases as long
as 15 years after the assault.
Teen dating violence is a growing issue with our young people.
Statistics show:, About one in 11 teens reports being a victim of physical
dating abuse each year, about one in five teens reports being a victim of
emotional abuse. About one in five high school girls has been physically
or sexually abused by a dating partner and 1 in 3 teens report knowing a
friend or peer who has been hit, punched, kicked, slapped, choked or otherwise
physically hurt by his or her partner.
What
are the goals of the program?
The
mission of the Sexual Violence Prevention Education Program is to promote
prevention of sexual coercion and violence by increasing the public’s
knowledge about sexual coercion and violence and applying that knowledge
through diverse prevention efforts.
The
goals of the program include:
- Provide
information and technical assistance that contribute to heightening
awareness and the prevention of sexual coercion and violence.
- Improve
communication, coordination, and collaboration among contractors and
other organizations providing related services.
- Build
program capacity by strengthening state and local program
infrastructure.
- Identify
need for and support rape/ sexual violence prevention education throughout Arizona,
including sustaining or expanding successful programs and
stimulating the development of new programs.
What
has the program achieved?
For
the past seven years, the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS)
Sexual Violence/ Rape Prevention and Education Program, through community
interventions, has provided sexual violence/rape prevention and education to students,
professionals, and community members. These interventions have covered
all racial and ethnic groups throughout Arizona – including Native
American and Hispanic groups.
In
early 2000, the ADHS RPEP and its contractors began to lay groundwork
for developing best practices in rape /sexual prevention and education.
Utilizing methods that are appropriate for the demographics and
particular characteristics of their community, contractors determine how
to achieve program standards and outcomes.
Arizona’s efforts to increase
awareness of rape /sexual assault prevention included the implementation
or expansion of youth Sexual Violence/Rape Prevention and Education programs/awareness
campaigns, and programs that target young
men and under-served communities. Additionally,
programs are provided for Spanish speaking/Native American populations
with linguistically appropriate rape prevention and education
activities. Information is
provided on sexual harassment, definition of rape, teen dating violence,
and strategies that
increase assertive communication, reporting and awareness of sexual
violence. The Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) was the
lead community partner for the statewide implementation of the Choose
Respect initiative. Respect Game Nights ADHS had an extremely
positive experience working with the local WNBA team, the Phoenix
Mercury, who was proactive and engaged in Choose Respect. ADHS
organized three Choose Respect game nights attended by more than 400
youth and their parents who watched from the arena's Choose Respect
section. Addtionally, Arizona launched the first media campaign
for primary sexual violence prevention and education and won a HEMMY
award. In 2006 Arizona, ADHS sponsored a primary prevention track
in the annual statewide sexual assault conference. The program is
also involved in a working group, Sexual Assault Prevention Summit:
A Collaborative Strategy for the Military.
Violence
Prevention and Education [PDF 424K]
National Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month [PDF 364K]
Need
more information?
Carol Hensell, Health Program Manager
Bureau of Women’s and Children’s Health
150 N. 18th Ave., Suite 320
Phoenix, Arizona 85007
Fax: (602)
364-1495
Phone: (602) 542-7343
Email: henselc@azdhs.gov
Website: http://www.azrapeprevention.org/
For
the Sexual Assault Hotline in Your Area Call:
(602) 254-9000
(central & northern Arizona)
1-800-400-1001
or (520) 327-7273 (southern Arizona)
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