Wright, Lori

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University of New HampshireUniversity of New Hampshire Scholars' RepositoryMedia Relations Administrative Offices10-5-2006UNH Launches New Center Focused OnPreventing Sexual Violence On UniversityCampusesLori WrightFollow this and additional works at: https://scholars.unh.edu/newsThis News Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Administrative Offices at University of New Hampshire Scholars' Repository. It hasbeen accepted for inclusion in Media Relations by an authorized administrator of University of New Hampshire Scholars' Repository. For moreinformation, please contact nicole.hentz@unh.edu.Recommended CitationWright, Lori, "UNH Launches New Center Focused On Preventing Sexual Violence On University Campuses" (2006). UNH Today.1175.https://scholars.unh.edu/news/11759/18/17, 1(59 PMUNH Launches New Center Focused On Preventing Sexual Violence On University CampusesPage 1 of 2http://www.unh.edu/delete/news/cj_nr/2006/october/lw05prvntn.cfm@type=n.html EDITORS AND REPORTERS: Vicki Banyard can be reached atvictoria.banyard@unh.edu or 603-862-2869. Sharyn Potter can be reached atsharyn.potter@unh.edu or 603-862-3630.UNH Launches New Center Focused On PreventingSexual Violence On University CampusesPrevention Innovations Is First Center Of Its Kind In The NationContact:  Lori Wright 603-862-0574UNH Media RelationsOctober 5, 2006DURHAM, N.H. -- College-age women are at a higher risk of becoming victims of sexualviolence than at nearly any other time in their lives. According to the Department of Justice,women between the ages of 16 and 24 are victims of sexual assault at a rate that is fourtimes higher than all women.A new research center at the University of New Hampshire aims to change those statisticsthrough research of sexual violence on campuses, evaluation of prevention programs andpolicies at the nation’s universities, and education and training regarding the best ways toprevent sexual and intimate partner violence.Prevention Innovations: Research and Practices for Ending Violence Against Women onCampus recently was launched as a multidisciplinary center that includes faculty from thesociology and psychology departments as well as representatives from the Sexual HarassmentAnd Rape Prevention Program (SHARPP) and Women’s Studies Program. The center’s clientsinclude colleges, universities, local governmental agencies and not-for-profit organizations.“Being college age puts women at a substantially increased risk of becoming a victim of sexualviolence,” says Vicki Banyard, associate professor of psychology and co-director of the center.“Most risk factors are related to the larger environment in which 18 to 24-year-olds reside,including social scenes like parties that perpetrators use to their advantage and the fact thatpeers have a great influence on behavior.”The center’s hallmark project is Bringing In the Bystander, which emphasizes that everyonehas a role to play in ending violence against women on campus. Both the interventionprogram and outreach campaign have proven to increase community members’ knowledgeabout proactive bystander behaviors. The project has received funding from the U.S.Department of Justice, and evaluation of the Bystander Intervention Program was funded bythe National Institute of Justice.“The bystander focus is not victim blaming. This message of the community role in reducingviolence against women is extremely important for engaging both men and women. Priorresearch finds that when prevention programs focus on men as potential perpetrators and9/18/17, 1(59 PMUNH Launches New Center Focused On Preventing Sexual Violence On University CampusesPage 2 of 2http://www.unh.edu/delete/news/cj_nr/2006/october/lw05prvntn.cfm@type=n.htmlwomen as potential victims, there is resistance to the prevention program as men and womenbecome defensive toward their assigned roles,” says Sharyn Potter, associate professor ofsociology and co-director of the center.According to the researchers, bystanders should be very cognizant of their personal safetyand assess the situation before intervening. They should only step in if their safety will not bejeopardized and enlist others to intervene, as well. Ways to step in include taking a friendhome or out of the potentially dangerous situation, calling a residential hall assistant, thepolice, or 911.Other projects at the center include:Consultation on Prevention and Crisis Intervention on Campus: The centerprovides information, consultation and technical assistance to help postsecondaryinstitutions develop and implement model policies, procedures and programs on issuesrelating to violence against women on campus.NH Campus Consortium: The center provides technical assistance to the consortiumand consortium members. The NH Campus Consortium creates a forum where NewHampshire’s postsecondary institutions can develop and implement strategies to endviolence against women on their respective campuses. The project is funded by the NHDepartment of Justice.NH Statewide Sexual Assault Survey: In collaboration with the New HampshireCoalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence and the NH Department of Health andHuman Services, the center is conducting a statewide survey on sexual assaultprevalence, consequences and service effectiveness.Unwanted Sexual Experiences Study: The center is part of an interdisciplinarygroup of faculty who has conducted a study of unwanted sexual experiences on the UNHcampus.

UNH Launches New Center Focused On Preventing Sexual Violence On University Campuses

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UNH Launches New Center Focused On Preventing Sexual Violence On University Campuses

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