Rape Preventiona and Education: Enhancing Capacity for Sexual Violence Prevention Across State and Territory Sexual Assault Coalitions - The Delaware Alliance Against Sexual Violence (DAASV) is the federally recognized Sexual Assault state coalition as of September 2020. The Office on Violence Against Women granted DAASV its first grant award, which launched the organization. The purpose of Rape Prevention Education (RPE) efforts in Delaware is to address social determinants of health related to economic status for disenfranchised communities in Delaware, with the long-term outcome of reducing sexual violence across the state. Sexual assault is a substantial public health issue that affects millions of people in the United States each year. The state of Delaware is no exception. According to National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey data released in 2022, 54% of women and 31% of men have experienced some form of sexual violence in their lifetime. In Delaware, 16.2% of adult womenand 4% of men reported having been forced into non-consensual sex at some point during their lives. Furthermore, there are disparities in different communities’ experience or prevalence of sexual assault, as well as their ability to access both preventative measures and treatment services. In Delaware specifically, the coalition has identified rural communities, children and teens, culturally specific (BIPOC, Muslim, etc.), LGBTQ, and persons with disabilities as communities at high risk for sexual violence and in need of additional resources. This project aims to improve the Delaware Alliance Against Sexual Violence (DAASV) 's ability to drive equitable health outcomes across all Delaware communities. Building on the recommendations outlined in the 2023-2024 Capacity Assessment, DAASV aims to continue building its capacity to successfully implement and evaluate prevention strategies at the community and societal levels. The chosen prevention strategies include Strengthening Household Financial Security and Creating Protective Environments. Both strategies intersect with the common focus of increasing women’s economic stability by targeting workplace policies, specifically related to child care and proactive sexual harassment policies and practices. DAASV intends to leverage existing partnerships across the state to accomplish program outcomes, advance health equity, and reduce rates of sexual violence.
