Are We Listening Program, Douglas County Rape Victim Survivor Service (RVSS), Lawrence, KS

Adminstered by: GaDuGi SafeCenter (formerly Douglas County Rape Victim Survivor Service)
Contact Information: http://www.gadugisafecenter.org/contact.html
Key Words: (1) Mixed gender and male only; (2) elementary, middle, and high school age; (3) racially diverse population; (4) elementary, middle, and high school setting; (5) multiple-session, curriculum-based program

Population served
This school-based program provides awareness/prevention education programming for racially/ethnically diverse groups of males and females in grades kindergarten through 12 and age 9 to 18, with some single-gender, male-focused activities. Approximately 267 students receive exposure to the programs offered each month. Recruitment of students varies depending on the grade level.
Medium used to convey message
In an effort to reduce the incidence of all forms of gender violence and bully behavior in Kansas, RVSS’s “Are We Listening” program is in its fourth year of collaborating with Lawrence Public Schools, The Kansas Office of the Attorney General, and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment to design and implement a comprehensive, K-12 prevention program. The grade-specific programs are “Steps to Respect” for grades K-6, “S.U.R.G.E.” (Students Upholding Respect and Gender Equity) for grades 7-9, and Women/Men of Strength for grades 10-12. These programs use multiple-session curricula.
Goals, objectives, and desired outcomes
The program’s goals are to achieve a change in knowledge, attitude, behavior, and environment that reduces the incidence of violence against females with age- appropriate intermediate indicators of understanding, attitude, and behavioral changes. Specific objectives have been developed for each of the grade levels they service.
Theoretical/ scientific basis for the approach
This program is grounded in Behavior Change Theory and Cognitive Learning Theory.
Level of evaluation
Methods of evaluation primarily consist of process evaluation, including dates, session topics, and numbers of students, conducted by external and internal evaluators. Impact evaluation (pre/post tests) is used mostly for local program purposes, such as showing teachers, other school personnel, and coalition members that the program’s educational activities have produced attitudinal and behavioral changes.
Staff capacity
The program is delivered by the education coordinator, Laurie Hart. Training includes 30 hours annually of in-service and mandated quarterly meetings held by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. Staff and resources are available to assist with data collection for evaluation efforts. Current funding is in Year 2 of a 5-year funding cycle as part of a noncompetitive continuation grant application process from a CDC/NCIPC/DVP Rape Prevention and Education grant.