Thursday, April 3, 2025
4/3/2025
Sexual Violence Prevention in Minnesota - Summary The purpose of the Minnesota Department of Health Sexual Violence Prevention Program (MDH SVPP) is to engage statewide partners in preventing sexual violence (SV). MDH SVPP has a long history of building multi-disciplinary collaborations and maintaining statewide networks. MDH SVPP is well-positioned to collaboratively advance the prevention of SV with communities in Minnesota in partnership with the Minnesota Coalition Against Sexual Assault and the Minnesota Indian Women’s Sexual Assault Coalition, both state prevention leaders. SV is a pressing public health issue that impacts all communities across Minnesota. At least 8% of Minnesota youth have already experienced SV victimization by 8th grade, and this number increases to 16% by 11th grade (MN Department of Health, 2022). Between 2019 and 2022, the percent of students reporting sexual abuse victimization on the Minnesota Student Survey increased, and the data show victimization disparities by race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, disability, socioeconomic status, and more (MN Department of Health, 2022). The Minnesota Student Survey also shows that LGBQ+, Black, Indigenous, and multiracial students are more likely to experience SV than heterosexual students and white students (Cole et al., 2023). Transgender and non-binary students are twice as likely to experience intimate partner SV than their cisgender counterparts (Cole et al., 2023). Additionally, the 2021 Minnesota College Student Health survey found that 40.5% of females, compared to 12.0% of males, had ever experienced sexual assault (Lust, 2021). SV victimization can lead to significant adverse health outcomes for SV victims/survivors, such as reproductive, cardiovascular, and gastrointestinal issues (Centers for Disease Control, 2022). Victims/survivors are also more likely to experience mental health problems, such as depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder (Pasque, 2023). SV can increase the likelihood of suicide as well, with one-third of victims/survivors contemplating suicide and 13% attempting suicide (Laughlin, 2018). Moreover, sexual assault in Minnesota cost almost $8 billion in 2005 (Minnesota Department of Health, 2007). Outcomes Through CE-24-0027 Rape Prevention and Education Program funding, MDH SVPP will advance comprehensive SV prevention activities, to reduce the prevalence, impacts, and costs of SV for the people of Minnesota. The aim of this project is to advance community/societal-level prevention strategies that reduce disparities in SV, use data to shape and evaluate strategies that impact disparities in risk and protective factors, promote health equity, and build strategic partnerships and prevention networks. The long-term outcome of this project proposal is to decrease disparities in SV. Intermediate outcomes are to target social and structural determinants of health, and other related risk and protective factors, through implementing changes at the community/societal-level of the social-ecological model. Short-term outcomes include increasing community and individual equity-focused prevention engagement, knowledge, skills, actions, connectedness, and access to prevention resources. Prevention strategies will align with CDC guidance to focus on strengthening economic supports, creating protective environments, and promoting social norms that protect against SV. References for the Project Abstract Summary: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (June 22, 2022). Fast facts: Preventing sexual violence. https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/sexualviolence/fastfact.html Cole, C., Raguet, M., Rider, G.N., & McMorris, B. (2023). Predictors of adolescent intimate partner sexual violence victimization: Patterns of intersectional social positions in a statewide, school-based sample [Manuscript submitted for publication]. Minnesota Department of Health and University of Minnesota- Twin Cities. Laughlin, K. (2018, September 10
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).