In the Wake of Cornell, Here are The Programs that Reduce Sexual Violence

One of the most heartbreaking revelations in the Cornell rape case is the group chat. A screenshot published by the school's student newspaper shows 7 fraternity members not only failing to stop a sexual assault in progress but celebrating it.

In response, the internet is buzzing with calls for men to do better. Parents of boys are asking important questions about raising their sons.

I’ve been doing sexual assault prevention work for 30 years. It’s encouraging to see that a lot of the outrage is where it belongs. At campus administrators who ignored the University’s own survey results, which found a sharp increase in the number of women who experienced unwanted sexual contact. At fraternity members who allegedly failed to stop the assault. But the problem of campus sexual violence is nothing new, and it’s changed too little since psychologists began studying it in the 1980s.

I believe we need a deep and specific investigation of how so many young men learn that it’s okay for their sexual desires to eclipse other people’s limits. But that’s a long-term endeavor with no guarantee of universal success.

Young women, and LGBTQ+ youth of all genders who experience even higher rates of sexual violence, need and deserve better than waiting for the culture of institutions and fraternities to change. High school seniors and current college students deserve better than warnings to cover their drinks or avoid parties, especially when we have research-informed programs that empower our daughters even when fraternities and college administrators fail them.

Ten years ago, Columbia University launched a comprehensive study of campus sexual violence. A research team led by Dr. Jennifer Hirsh spent two years examining every aspect of campus life through in-depth interviews, anonymous surveys, and even sending anthropologists to parties. One of their key findings was that women who got sex education that included refusal skills were 50% likely to experience rape. Abstinence only sex education didn’t have the same effect.

Self-defense programs that are explicit about empowering women to challenge sexism have also been shown to reduce sexual violence. Research on Flip the Script, a Canadian program for college women, found that those who participated in a 12-hour self-defense class were 63 percent less likely than a control group to experience sexual assault and 46 percent less likely to experience rape. Two years later, the women who got the program were still experiencing lower rates of sexual violence. A similar program at the University of Oregon also had similar results, as did a program at a community center in Oregon, which found that participants of all ages were 50 percent less likely to experience sexual assault than a control group.

Effective programs have key elements in common. They explicitly challenge victim blame and place responsibility for sexual assault on those who perpetrate. They encourage women to trust themselves and to look critically at the ways societal sexism affects their intimate relationships. No program is 100% effective, but research shows that women who experienced sexual violence after having taken an empowerment self-defense program had lower levels of self-blame and less psychological distress.

More traditonal self-defense programs that tell women to get thicker curtains and trim their hedges so no one can hide in their bushes are not effective. Neither, sadly, are most education programs that teach boys and men not to abuse.

IMPACT classes for teens, young adults, and people of all ages are consistent with the best available research on what works. Our programs give people the skills, analysis and support they need to interrupt harm and advocate for change. Let us remember the reason we know the names of the 7 men who participated in the group chat that night — it's because of the brave, mostly women journalists at the school's student newspaper published them. Speaking up to end secrecy and hold institutions accountable is one important way to prevent sexual violence.

If you have a college-bound teen, or a current student who will be home for winter break, consider enrolling them in our Teen and Young adult class January 9 and 10. They will learn critical skills to recognize coercion and speak up for themselves and others.

The Cornell case shows how urgent the need is for fraternities and college administrators to do better. I applaud the parents and educators that are working overtime to teach compassion, empathy and courage to kids of all genders. At the same time, building the leadership, agency, and power of young women, LGBTQ+ youth and youth of all genders who are committed to ending sexual violence is the key to a safer future.