Millions of people each year are affected by violence in the United States. Researchers know the data significantly underestimate this problem because many cases are unreported. People impacted by violence may be ashamed, embarrassed, or afraid to tell the police, friends, or family about the violence. They may also keep quiet because they have been threatened with further harm if they tell anyone or do not think anyone will help them. 

The data shows:

• Sexual violence is common. More than one in three women and one in four men have experienced sexual violence involving physical contact during their lifetimes. Nearly one in five women and one in 38 men have experienced completed or attempted rape, and one in 14 men was made to penetrate someone (completed or attempted) during his lifetime.
• Sexual violence starts early. One in three female rape victims experienced it for the first time between 11-to-17-years old and one in eight reported that it occurred before age 10. Nearly one in four male rape victims experienced it for the first time between 11-to-17-years old and about one in four reported that it occurred before age 10.
• Sexual violence is costly. Recent estimates put the lifetime cost of rape at $122,461 per victim, including medical costs, lost productivity, criminal justice activities, and other costs. https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/sexualviolence/fastfact.html

The Rape Prevention and Education (RPE) Program receives funding from the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to promote the primary prevention of sexual assault, and intimate partner violence. Primary prevention—stopping sexual violence before it begins, and is guided by a set of principles that include:

• Preventing the first-time occurrence of sexual violence
• Reducing risk factors and enhancing protective factors linked to sexual violence perpetration and victimization
• Using the best available evidence when planning, implementing, and evaluating prevention programs
• Implementing comprehensive strategies that address individual, relationship, community, and societal factors
• Analyzing state and community data, such as health and safety data, to inform program decisions and monitor trends
• Evaluating prevention efforts and using the results to improve future program plans

The  RPE Program is creating an infographic series to increase knowledge and awareness of gender-based violence and to highlight Delaware specific data indicators measuring some of the risk and protectice factors that contribute to   RPE Program is creating a an infographic series to increase knowledge and awareness of gender-based violence and to highlight Delaware specific data indicators measuring some of the risk and protective factors that contribute to GBV.

The RPE program encourages the development of comprehensive prevention strategies using as guiding frameworks, the public health approach, and the social-ecological model (SEM). These frameworks guide the recipients to implement a range of activities to address the ways individual, relationship, community, and societal factors impact sexual violence. This approach is more likely to prevent sexual violence across a lifetime than any single intervention and is also more likely to benefit the largest number of people and reduce sexual violence.

The Office of Women’s Health (OWH) partners with the Delaware Coalition Against Domestic Violence (DCADV), and the Delaware Alliance Against Sexual Assault (https://www.delawarealliance.org/) to carry out these programs.  The current focus is on the economic justice as a factor in prevention.  Several factors increase the likelihood for sexual and intimate partner violence to occur and are connected to root causes of economic injustice. Some of these factors include high unemployment rates, economic instability, poverty, and gender inequality. Through best practices promoted by CDC technical packages, the RPE Program aims to decrease these risk factors through economic justice-focused programming.

The RPE Program has supported the work to promote the University of Delaware’s development of a Gender-Based Violence Studies Program (https://www.wgs.udel.edu/gbv),  and DCADV’s Domestic Violence Certificate Program (https://dcadv.org/what-we-do/training-and-certification/domestic-violence-specialist-certification.html) and is funding efforts for a similar initiative at the Delaware State University. The RPE Program also supports community efforts and several additional agencies to conduct outreach and education to at-risk populations in Delaware such as elementary and high school age youth, LGBT communities and other minority populations throughout the state.

April is highlighted each year as Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month (SAAPM).Read the proclamation signed by Governor John Carney and Lt Governor Bethany Hall-Long. During SAAPM everyone can get involved in prevention efforts.  Sexual harassment, assault, and abuse can happen anywhere, including in online spaces. For too long harassment, sexual abuse and exploitation have come to be expected as typical and unavoidable behaviors online. Building Safe Online Spaces Together is possible when we practice digital consent, intervene when we see harmful content and behaviors, and promote online communities that value respect, inclusion, and safety.  Follow this link to learn more about getting involved  Get Involved | National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC)

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