Stepping Up To Prevent Violence Erin Strange, Violence Prevention Specialist – Oasis Program Melanie Fleck, Outreach Specialist Karen Johnston, Student Employee - Oasis Program University of Arizona Campus Health Service Health Promotion & Preventive Services 2011 Student Affairs Symposium

5 Questions How did this project come to be? What is the Step Up! Program? How did we reach students? What has worked…what hasn’t? What are the evaluation findings?

Background Interpersonal Violence at UA U.S. Department of Education grant – 2 year grant totaling $339,000 – Goal: Reduce incidence of interpersonal violence When writing the grant, we knew we wanted to: – Take a broad definition of violence – Use a comprehensive strategy – Employ bystander intervention

Step Up! Developed by UA Athletics with NCAA Bystander intervention program Goals: – Raise awareness of helping behaviors – Increase motivation to help – Develop skills and confidence to respond – Ensure the safety/wellbeing of others 10+ topic areas

Has there ever been a time when you felt, or even knew, something was wrong and wanted to help but didn’t? The Premise:

Key Elements Creation of advisory council for feedback VP for Student Affairs support Continuous outreach Asking “what’s in it for them?”

Program

Key Program Elements Variety of educational modalities used to reach a range of learners: – Interactive (snowball survey) – Videos – Role play/discussion (scenarios)

The Bystander Effect Phenomenon in which someone is less likely to intervene in an emergency situation when others are present than when he or she is alone. 9

The 5 Decision Making Steps Notice the event Interpret the event as a problem/emergency Assume personal responsibility Know how to help Step Up! 10

Focus on S.E.E. SAFE Responding – Choose a course of action (direct or indirect) that best ensures the safety of those involved. EARLY Intervention – Before it becomes a problem, crisis or disaster. EFFECTIVE Helping – Implement specific helping skills depending on the situation and avoid harmful helping. 11

Perspective Taking The ability to identify with the feelings, thoughts, and beliefs of another person. In order to take the perspective of another person: – Imagine how the person thinks and feels. – Imagine being in the same situation. – Imagine that you are the other person. 12

13 A unique website for University of Arizona students that provides resources so you can help your friends stay safe and healthy. F2F.health.arizona.edu

You are at a party and notice one of your male friends talking to a young woman. They seem to be having a good time but it is clear that the woman has had too much to drink. At one point your friend walks by you and says he is going to get her “one more” and “that should be enough.” A few minutes later you see him put his arm around the young woman and start to lead her upstairs. What do you do? Scenario: Sexual Assault

Program Adaptability Trainings vs. Presentations Modified based on time requirements Tailored to meet the needs of audience Population-specific scenarios

Program Outreach and Recruitment

Outreach Things that worked… Student Affairs networks University Communications Outreach at the forefront Step Up! Day Make-A-Movie Contest Advisory Council for feedback Partnerships – UAPD co-presenting – Peer educators – Getting scenarios beforehand Media Campaign Things that didn’t… Student group barriers Limits to tailoring program (faculty) Clickers – depending on audience Step Up! Stories

Media

Don’t Be Shady…..Step Up!

Evaluation

Participation in Step Up!

Evaluation of Step Up! Objectives - To provide education and bystander training to high-risk populations resulting in significant (p<.05): –I–Increase in willingness to intervene –I–Increase in knowledge of how to report violence –D–Decrease in perpetrating and/or experiencing interpersonal violence on campus by 5%

Pretest Immediate Posttest 3 month follow up Pretest Immediate Posttest

Sample Characteristics

PrePost3 month Trainings (90 min) Presentations (<90min) Total1,4671,435457

Results – Changes in Knowledge, Intent and Action

Knowledge *Significant at p < 0.000

Qualitative data Pre-Post comparisons – More accurate information – Citing of models – Greater detail Example: – Pretest – no response – Immediate post – “5 steps - notice, interpret, assume responsibility, know how to help, step up” – 3 month post - “Recognize there's a problem. Do something about it or find someone who can. Enable the victim to find help.”

Intent

% likely to intervene (report, help from a friend, try and stop it) in the following situations * Significant at p < ** Significant at p < 0.016

% likely to step up in all cases of violence witnessed

Experience/Action

% witnessing interpersonal violence within the last 3 months

% Experiencing or Perpetrating interpersonal violence 6% decrease in interpersonal violence experienced or perpetrated overall (not significant)

% Experiencing or Perpetrating interpersonal violence ↓ 23%

% who have ever intervened in the following situations

What’s next? Step Up Live! – More dialogue, empathy building, interaction Be Kind, Step Up! in collaboration with Ben’s Bells

Be Kind. Step Up!