Thursday, April 3, 2025
4/3/2025
Alaska Rape Prevention and Education Program - Sexual violence is a significant public health problem in Alaska. The state experiences one of the highest injury rates in the nation. The 2020 Alaska Victimization Survey estimated that 57.7% of Alaska women had experienced intimate partner violence (IPV), sexual violence (SV), or both during their lifetime. Alaska is often ranked highest rate of suicide, rape, and in the top ten for injury and homicide, which results in death, hospitalization, and pre-mature loss of life and productivity. Violence prevention remains under-resourced, minimizing the potential impact of community- and state-based interventions. For multiple reasons, including the very recent history of colonization which disrupted traditional family and societal structures with racism and abuse, Alaska experiences high rates of violence, suicide, and economic hardship. With Rape Prevention Education Program (RPE) funds Alaska will address sexual violence by enhancing a jurisdictional violence prevention strategic plan, develop and implement an evaluation plan, develop a sustainability plan, and support statewide capacity building. Alaska will implement community- and societal-level sexual violence prevention strategies that promote health equity and utilize data to inform action. Three populations and strategies are proposed: Focus Area 1: Strengthen Economic Supports -- Alaska will focus on Family-friendly Policies and fund the Alaska Children’s Trust’s educational and policy analysis work on Paid Family Leave. In partnership with Alaska Children’s Trust’s will collect stories to help with raising awareness of the role of getting Paid Family Leave passed at the state level. Focus Area 2: Create Protective Environments -- Alaska will Improve School Climate and Safety by taking an environmental approach at the building level. RPE funds will support the Alaska Association of School Boards to collaborate with partners to broaden the support network and resources to build school climate. After schools use their School Climate and Connectedness Survey data, they will be able to access evidence-based strategies, coaching, and support to improve their school climates. Alaska Association of School Boards will create a "playbook,” which will be integrated into an online platform that districts use to review their data. Focus Area 3: Promoting Social Norms That Protect Against Violence -- Alaska will implement a Bystander Approach, specifically Bringing in the Bystander, at University of Alaska Anchorage and satellite campuses. By the end of the period of performance, Alaska will decrease rates of sexual violence perpetration and victimization among youth and a reduction in economic disparities that impact SV rates. There will be an increase in positive school climate survey results. The Alaska RPE Logic Model will reflect the short, midterm, and long-term outcomes in planning, implementation, and evaluation to promote and sustain social change. The outcomes of this funding will result in decreased rates of violence for college students, school-aged youth, and working mothers.
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).