
Prevention is Now With PCASA
By Deb Bonner


Prevention is NOW - What's NEW with Coaching Boys Into Men
For over 20 years, Coaching Boys Into Men (CBIM) has been utilizing the unique bond between coaches and their athletes to encourage open and honest discussions about healthy relationships and standing up for respect. Recently, CBIM introduced a series of advanced tools kits for coaches to encourage ongoing skill development and multi-year implementation.
The advanced tool kits include:
- Creating Healthy Team Environments for LGBTQ+ Athletes
- Coaching Practices to Address Racism in Sports
- Coaching Consent and Boundaries
- Coaching Healthy Conflict, Breakups, and Rejection
- Survivor-Centered Approaches to Discussing Sexual Assault
- And a Guide to Leveraging CBIM Peer Leaders
Jesse Mahler, part of the Public Education Team with Futures Without Violence, discusses the new tool kits and a new initiative that integrates mental health & wellness content into CBIM through training and the curriculum that launches this August
Sources:
CoachesCorner.org

Prevention Is Now - Real Conversations with Franklin Middle School About Gender Roles
Gender roles have a significant impact on young adolescents and how they will ultimately form relationships. Correcting unrealistic expectations and harmful social norms is vital in correcting power imbalances that can lead to sexual violence. But to do that, we need to know exactly what kids in early adolescents are experiencing and thinking. To develop at least a partial understanding, we are speaking with a small group of kids ages 12-15 at Franklin Middles School in Springfield, IL.

Prevention is NOW- This Is How We Change The World
Social norms are the unwritten rules of beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors that are considered acceptable in a particular social group or culture. An important part of prevention is understanding what social norms are problematic and how do we replace them with new social norms that prevent sexual violence at all levels. Dr. Laura Kollar with the CDC joins us to discuss how we go about the changes and ultimately how we change the world.
Topics Covered Include:
- What exactly is a social norm?
- What is the difference between a social norm and a narrative
- How are social norms established, and how long does it typically take
- How long do the effects of a social norms campaign last
- How do social norms campaigns work (particularly as it relates to sexual violence) – what are the steps, and how much time should you be prepared to dedicate to it?
- Examples of social norms changes across the social ecological levels
Sources:
STOP SV: A Technical Package to Prevent Sexual Violence

Prevention Is NOW - Before You Swipe: The Not So Hidden Risks Of Online Dating
49.7 million U.S. singles have tried online dating representing 91% of all the single people in the country. 10%, or almost 5 million U.S. profiles are fake. Additionally 10% of sex offenders are on at least one dating site.
Thousands of crimes are facilitated by online dating apps annually- everything from thefts and scams to abductions, rapes, and murders. So how how is an industry that made $4 billion keeping their subscribers safe? The answer may surprise you.
Nancy Jo Sales is a New York Times bestselling author and award-winning journalist who has written for Vanity Fair and many other publications. Her latest book, Nothing Personal: My Secret Life In the Dating App Inferno (2021), is a memoir of her time on dating apps intertwined with research and interviews about the online dating industry. In 2018, she released her HBO documentary, Swiped: Hooking Up In the Digital Age.
Nancy Jo discusses with us just how common problematic behavior online is, what the risks to users of dating apps are and what the dating app companies are (or are not) doing to ensure the safety of their users
Sources:
Nancy Jo Sales (website)
Nothing Personal: My Secret Life in the Dating App Inferno
Swiped: Hooking Up In the Digital Age

Prevention is NOW - Why Does Sexual Harassment Go Unreported

Prevention Is Now- NPR's Stacey Vanek Smith and Machiavelli Have Advice For Women In The Workplace
Women, and other marginalized populations such as people of color and those who identify as LGBTQ, continue to find themselves on the receiving end of harassment and sexual violence in the workplace. So how can we bring those scales in balance and reduce risk.
Our guest on this episode has some insight- from a very unlikely source. Stacey Vanek Smith is the cohost The Indicator from Planet Money. She's also a correspondent for Planet Money, where she covers business and economics. She also has a new book out called Machiavelli for women: Defend Your Worth, Grow Your Ambition, and Win the Workplace.
Topics Include
- Why is Machiavelli, of all people, a good source of inspiration for women wanting to get ahead in the workplace?
- What is Cinderella syndrome and being in the hot box?
- Why are women waiting so long to ask for promotions
- What is “professional herding,” and can woman avoid being herded into a direction or even as career they don’t’ want?
- How has the #metoo movement changed the workplace environment for women?
- Why are women interrupted so much and what can they do to prevent it?
- What are communication "softeners" and are they good or bad or both?
Sources

Prevention Is Now - Sexual Violence Prevention Needs A Few Good Men (And Boys)
In the CDC’s technical package for sexual violence prevention, one of the strategies they name is “Promote Social Norms that Protect Against Violence” with one of the recommended approaches as engaging men and boys as allies. But what does that mean, really? What should men’s role be in sexual violence prevention? What methods are going to the most successful in reaching them? What are the obstacles in getting there?
To help us work our way through this issue is Dr. Lindsay Orchowski, a Staff Psychologist in the Adult Outpatient Division in the Department of Psychiatry within Lifespan Physicians Group and Associate Professor (Research) at the Alpert Medical School of Brown University. She is also the Deputy Title IX Coordinator for the Medical School. She is also the Associate Editor for Psychology of Women Quarterly, on the Editorial Board for the journal Violence Against Women, and is Consulting Editor for Psychology of Violence. In 2018, she published the Co-Edited book "Sexual Assault Risk Reduction and Resistance: Theory Research and Practice”
Also joining us is Dr Alan Berkowitz, an independent consultant working with colleges, universities, public health agencies, military organizations, and communities to design programs that address health and social justice issues – such as sexual violence.
He developed one of the first rape prevention programs for men in the United States at Hobart and William Smith Colleges. He is an authority in the development of the Social Norms Theory and has implemented several successful programs. He has been published multiple times including:
· Preventing Sexual Aggression among College Men: An Evaluation of a Social Norms and Bystander Intervention Program
· Working with Men to Prevent Violence Against Women
Most recently both Dr Orchowski and Dr Berkowitz edited the upcoming book on Engaging Boys and Men in Sexual Assault Prevention which is due out later this year.
Topics covered include:
- Why do men and boys need to be involved in sexual violence prevention?
- What should men's roles be within sexual violence prevention?
- What are the dangers of involving men in sexual violence prevention and what can be done about them?
- How is the messaging for men different than for women?
- What makes a prevention program involving men and boys successful?
- Why do social norm approaches to sexual violence prevention need to be reinforced and how often
Sources
Dr. Lindsay M OrchowskiWhat's The Best Way For Men To Be Profeminist?

Prevention Is Now - How Subminimum Wages Serve Up Harassment In the Service Industry
Individuals working in the restaurant industry face some of the highest levels of workplace sexual harassment. According to a report from the Center on Poverty and Inequity, 90% of women working for tips within the foodservice industry have experienced some form of sexual harassment or assault. However, it is not just women that are being harassed and assaulted. That same report stated 60% of transgender individuals and 46% of men working for tips have also reported experiencing harassment or assault.
So, why are the rates for sexual harassment so much higher among tipped employees, and what can be done about it? Yamila Ruiz, the Communications Director for One Fair Wage, discusses the origins of subminimum wages, what their impacts are, and, what One Fair Wage is doing to eliminate the subminimum wage. She also discusses how One Fair Wage was involved in the new joint publication by the Prevention Institute and the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, A Health Equity Approach to Preventing Sexual Violence. as well as One Fair Wage's November of 2020 report - “Take Your Mask Off So I Know How Much To Tip You: Service Workers Experience of Health and Harassment During COVID 19”which documents over 1,600 individuals experiences.
Sources:
High Road Restaurants (website)

Prevention is Now - How To Deal With Online Harassment

Prevention Is Now - Sexual Violence In Our Schools K-12

Prevention Is Now - Sexual Harassment In the Virtual Workplace

Prevention Is Now - Finding the Male Voice In Sexual Violence Prevention
When discussing the the issue of sexual violence prevention, the idea of "toxic masculinity" often comes up as a contributing factor to the problem. However, we don't hear about the positive things men are doing everyday to change social norms and helping to combat sexual violence. Rob Okun from Voice Male discusses the anti-sexist men’s movement and the global impact it is having.
Topics covered include:
- Why the anti-sexist men’s movement is so important
- How terms like "toxic masculinity" can be problematic and hurt sexual violence prevention
- What is the Third MenEngage Global Symposium and how is helping to give men a voice in the anti sexist men's movement
- The importance of sharing alternate stories of what manhood
Sources:

Prevention Is Now - Surviving Sexual Assault In the Military
In a follow up to our earlier podcast about sexual violence in the military, Preventionist Deb Bonner talks with Sgt Taylor A Knueven.
Sgt Knueven was assigned to the 101st Airborne Division when she was sexually assaulted while at the US border as part former President Trump's military deployment. The experience completely changed her perspective on the pervasiveness of sexual violence within the military and how toxic the military environment can be.
Since then, Sgt Knueven has been on a mission to get the military to make changes to how sexual violence is prevented and investigated. This past March, the combat medic was one of several who participated in the 18th Airborne Corps' Dragon Lair competition - offering her ideas to revamp the Army's Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention (SHARP) program
TRIGGER WARNING: Though we will not discuss details of Sgt Knueven's assault, we will be discussing the details of its investigation which could be triggering for some listeners. Please practice self-care as needed.
Sources:
As Told By TA (Podcast)
Taylor A Knueven (Facebook)
taylorannek4mva2021 (Instagram)

Prevention Is Now - Sexual Violence In The Military
Sexual violence in the military is nothing new and, in fact, has been a growing problem with reports increasing every year since 2006. When Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin first took office in January of this year, his first directive was to order his senior leaders to review their sexual assault programs. He then created an independent panel to review the issue and make recommendations.
The first recommendation from that panel is that decisions to prosecute service members for sexual assault be made by independent authorities, not commanders. Service leaders now have about 30 days to review that recommendation and to provide their own ideas and in put
So here we are with a growing issue and not much visible progress being made. To further discuss the issue of sexual violence within the military is Terri Spahr Nelson. Terri was the Program Coordinator/Sexual Trauma Counselor from 1993 to 1995 at the VA Medical Center in Cincinnati, OH. She was a Principal Investigator in a five-year study/assessment of sexual trauma in U.S. Military which spanned from 1997 to 2002. She was also a Subject Matter Expert and Consultant for the Department of Defense Leadership Team (SAPRO), was on the Care for Victims of Sexual Assault (Confidentiality Subcommittee) and Victim Advocacy Advisory Group (2004, 2005); Department of Defense Sexual Assault Advocate Certification Program (2012-13). Additionally, Teri has written 4 books (including 2015’s For Love of Country: Confronting Rape and Sexual Harassment in the US Military) peer-reviewed journal articles, and 21 booklets distributed nationally in English, Spanish, Braille,
We should also note that Terri herself is a Military Veteran of the US Army serving in Behavioral Sciences, and was twice awarded the Army Commendation Medal with first oak leaf cluster for meritorious service
Topics Covered Include:
- What were the findings of the five-year study/assessment of sexual trauma in U.S. Military
- Are the increases in reports of sexual violence a good sign that more people are coming forward or an indication the problem is getting worse
- Are there unique aspects of the military that make it more difficult to combat the issue of sexual violence
- How is the lack of accountability with perpetrators impacting the problem
- What prevention efforts do the military already employ and what are some of the new prevention efforts being considered
Sources:
For Love of Country: Confronting Rape and Sexual Harassment in the US Military
United States Department of Defense Sexual Assault Prevention and Response
Department of Defense Annual Report on Sexual Assault in the Military - Fiscal Year 2020

Prevention Is Now - Sexual Violence and The Experiences of the LGBTQ Community
Sexual violence affects everyone. However, those among the LGBTQ populations exeprience sexual violence at significantly higher rates than those who are straight. Compounding the issue, LGBTQ individuals are less likely to come forward after an assault than non-LGBTQ individuals and, alarmingly, research from the National Coalition Against Violence Project found 85 percent of victim advocates surveyed reported having worked with an LGBTQ survivor who was denied services because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.
Another significant issue is that many of the sexual violence prevention efforts are highly heteronormative and, therefore, do not address many of the problems faced by those in the LGBTQ communities.
So how do we create an effective prevention plan for a high-risk/low reporting population that faces the additional challenges of discrimination?
Jonna Cooley, the Executive Director of the Phoenix Center in Springfield, IL. shares her insights.
Topics Covered Include
- The importance of recognizing that LGBT is 4 distinct populations and not just one
- What are some of the risk factors for experiencing sexual violence that may be unique to LGBTQ individuals
- Why are those who are LGBTQ more hestitant to come forward after experiencing sexual violence
- How can we make sexual violence prevention plans more inclusive for the LGBTQ communities
- The importance of anti-discrimination training for first responders in sexual violence prevention.
Sources:

Prevention is Now - Sexual Citizen with Jennifer Hirsch and Shamus Kahn
Sexual assault on college campuses is not a new topic. We have discussed previously on this program issues with Title IX and the prevalence of sexual violence on campus. Despite prevention efforts such as Bystander Intervention training and consent education, the statistics haven’t changed in decades.
What is new are the findings of Jennifer Hirsch and Shamus Kahn in their book Sexual Citizens – A Landmark Study Of Sex, Power, And Assault On Campus. The book has been named as one of NPR’s Best Books of 2020. The research, conducted over 5 years at Columbia University and Barnard College, takes a unique look at the sexuality of college students- who is having it and why and, perhaps most disturbingly, how sexual assault within this environment is inevitable to a certain degree.
Topics covered include:
How the research was conducted
The concepts of Sexual Projects, Sexual Geographies, and Sexual Citizenship
How addressing racial inequality is a form of sexual violence prevention
How the information from the research can help us create more effective prevention plans.
Sources

Prevention Is Now - Understanding the Nuances of Sex Trafficking
Who is sex trafficked, how it is done, and how common it really is often misunderstood by many people. Dr. Chitra Raghavan joins preventionist Deb Bonner to discuss the nuances of the reality of sex trafficking. Dr. Raghavan is a tenured professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, the Director of the Forensic Mental Health Counseling Program, and the Coordinator for the Victimology Studies in Forensic Psychology. She is also a clinical psychologist in New York City specializing in assessment of sex trafficking, domestic violence, and sexual violence. She has published numerous articles including 2015’s Trauma-coerced Bonding and Victims of Sex Trafficking: Where do we go from here? International Journal of Emergency Mental Health and Human Resilience.
Topics covered include:
- What exactly is sex trafficking
- What populations are most at risk for being trafficked and how we can mitigate those risks
- How does trauma coerced bonding work between the victim and the trafficker
- What social norms surround sex trafficking and how do we change them
- How does pornography impact the sex trafficking trade
- What type of data do we need to collect to better understand the issue and who should be collecting it
- Should the hospitality industry be more involved in the prevention of sex trafficking
Sources:
Dr Chitra Raghavan (John Jay College Faculty Page)

Prevention Is Now - Teen Digital Dating and Sexual Violence

Prevention Is Now - Comprehensive Consent with Sarah Casper
Emerging evidence suggests consent education could be an effective form of primary sexual violence prevention. However, when should that education start and what should it look like?
To talk about consent education for younger children is Sarah Casper is our guest. Sarah is a consent educator and the founder of Comprehensive Consent - a brand devoted to helping parents give their children the foundational understanding of body boundaries and the practical consent skills that we all need to create healthy relationships with ourselves and with others, throughout their life. Sarah's work is informed by her education and experience in the fields of child psychology and social psychology, as well as her experience as an acroyoga practitioner.
Topics Covered Include:
· At what age should consent education should start?
· How does consent education change based on the age of the child… or really does it change all that much?
· Why do we need to teach consent before sexual activity begins?
· What is a social-emotional learning framework and how is that would be applied to consent education?
· Can teaching children about their bodies and how to set their boundaries make them less "appealing" to predators?
· What is "the deeper meaning of affirmative consent" What does that mean?
· How is learning how to deal with rejection part of consent education?
· Would consent education be considered empowerment-based?
Sources:
Comprehensive Consent (website)

Prevention Is Now - The Issue of Sexual Violence on College Campuses
Dr. Rashmee Singh, an associate professor of Sociology and Legal Studies at Waterloo University in Ontario, Canada, shares her insights on the issue of sexual violence on college campuses that came collaborative study with several of her colleagues that took an in-depth look at the issue at three Ontario Universities.
Topics covered include:
- The key findings of her study
- What types of sexual violence prevention programs work and what ones don't
- Why do college and universities seem reticent to dedicate the time and resources needed to fully address the problem of sexual violence
- How effective of the mobile apps colleges are developing and using to reduce sexual violence
- What any effective sexual violence prevention plan for a college campus should include
Sources:
Rashmee Singh - Sociology and Legal Studies, University of Waterloo

Prevention Is Now - How Sexual Consent is Portrayed In Hollywood
Dr. Michele Meek joins Preventionist Deb Bonner to take a closer look at how the media portrays the idea of consent and sexuality. Dr. Meek is an Assistant Professor in the Communication Studies department at Bridgewater State University. She has written numerous articles for publications such as Ms. Magazine, Script Magazine, The Good Men Project, and Salon.com. In 2018, Dr. Meek gave a TEDx talk Why we’re confused about consent—rewriting our stories of seduction
Topics covered include:
- What are some of the most harmful messages the media is sending about girls and women, and how are they being disguised?
- What is the "flaw" in affirmative consent?
- How is the idea of male consent addressed in the media and is that just as problematic
- How do we change the social norms the media is perpetuating?
Sources:
- MicheleMeek.com
- Why we're confused about consent—rewriting our stories of seduction | Michele Meek | TEDxProvidence
- “What About Boys? Affirmative Consent in American Teen Films”
- “Promising Young Woman: A Modern-Day Take on Rape-Revenge”

Prevention Is Now - National Alliance To End Sexual Violence
Terri Poore, the Policy Director for the National Alliance to End Sexual Violence joins PCASA preventionist Deb Bonner to discuss what a national response to sexual violence prevention would look like and what legislation the NAESV is keeping an eye on.
Topics covered include:
- Priorities for Addressing the Needs of Sexual Assault Survivors for the administration's first 100 days
- What changes to Title IX would the NAESV like to see in the roll back of the changes Betsy Devos' administration enacted
- What the NAESV feels are the most significant policy issues the military needs to address to eliminate Sexual Violence within their ranks.
- What is happening with the following legislation:
- Reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act
- Hold Accountable and Lend Transparency on Campus Sexual Violence Act (H.R. 3381)
- Bringing an End to Harassment by Enhancing Accountability and Rejecting Discrimination in the Workplace Act or the BE HEARD in the Workplace Act (S. 1082/H.R. 2148)
Sources:
National Alliance To End Sexual Violence (Website)

Prevention Is Now - Engaging Men In Sexual Violence Prevention

Prevention Is Now - Make Your Move Missoula

Prevention Is Now - Start Strong

Prevention Is Now - What is Title IX and What Is Its Future

Prevention Is Now - Sexual Violence and Prevention Basics with Dr. Elizabeth Jeglic
Preventionist Deb Bonner discusses exactly what sexual violence is and some of the best primary preventive practices with Dr. Elizabeth L. Jeglic. Dr Jeglic is a clinical psychologist and expert in sexual violence prevention. She is also a Professor of Psychology at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice, City University of New York. And if that isn’t enough Dr Jeglic is also the author of Protecting Your Child From Sexual Abuse and Sexual Violence. She is an Associate Editor of the Journal Sexual Abuse and blogs for Psychology Today on sexual violence prevention.
Topics Covered include:
- What constitutes sexual violence and abuse.
- What evidenced based prevention means and why is it so important that evidence-based programs are used in sexual violence prevention efforts.
- How Bystander Intervention works particularly as it expands across the socio ecological model.
- How certain social negative social norms exacerbate the sexual violence problem and what to do about them.
- Creating safe spaces on campuses.
- Creating a culture of consent.
Sources:

Prevention Is Now - Bringing In The Bystander

Prevention Is Now - Social Norms Approach with Dr. Alan Berkowitz part 2

Prevention Is Now - Social Norms Approach with Dr. Alan Berkowitz part 1

Prevention Is Now - Coaching Boys Into Men
Prairie Center Against Sexual Assault (PCASA) Preventionist Deb Bonner talks with Jesse Mahler with Futures without Violence about their Coaching Boys Into Men (CBIM) program to prevent domestic and sexual violence.
Topics covered include how CBIM works and how it specifically addresses sexual and teen dating violence, the findings of the 2012 CDC evaluation of the program, and what institutions wishing to implement CBIM should know. The podcast also briefly touches on the companion program Athletes As Leaders
Any High School in the 11 central Illinois counties PCASA serves wishing to bring CBIM to their school can contact Deb Bonner for more information or to schedule training at dbonner@prairiecasa.org