Discussion List for campus-based and allied personnel working to end gender-based violence on campus.

["Foubert, John" <>]

Dear Juliette (with a copy to the SAPC List serve),



Thank you for your thoughtful comments about the email I sent out on 5/13/09. 
 The short answer to your question, how can anyone avoid rape except by 
locking themselves up on a basement for the rest of your life is, they can't. 
 What you point out is one of my many weakness.  I stink at writing titles 
for programs.  I've changed the title for this particular program about 4 
times already if my memory is correct.  I'd welcome feedback on what the next 
title should be; obviously it will need to change.



The program that I referred to in the email message is the same program that 
was presented by the One in Four RV tour and also known as "The Women's 
Program."  It was developed with the input of several women during the 
initial stages and during its first year being presented, input in writing 
was gathered from 1,000 women and used for script revisions.  These women 
included professional women at sexual assault conferences and women on 
college campuses.  One question we asked was whether they thought the program 
should continue to be used with no changes, minor changes, major changes, or 
never used again.  95% of women said it should be used again with either no 
changes or minor changes.  That was an initial sign that the script was on 
the right track, but still I knew it had and has a way to go.  With the RV 
tour on hiatus with the downturn of the economy, I noted in my email that I 
will present the program upon request.  I'm in the midst of figuring out the 
best way to get the script into the public's hands so that anyone - obviously 
female or male - could use the script as they would like.



I realize that there are many different perspectives about how to write 
programs in this field.  The perspective that I take is to base programs in 
research - both quantitative and qualitative research.  I realize that there 
are limitations to that, but I also believe that the strengths far outweigh 
the weaknesses.  In writing this program, it was and is my intent to focus on 
a broader role for women in ending sexual assault from reducing merely 
personal risk (which is important) to teaching women bystander intervention 
techniques. Research has shown that active resistance is more likely to 
result in averting a rape rather than passive resistance (Lonsway, 2009). 
Lack of ability to perceive danger is related to victim status; with forceful 
physical resistance, forceful verbal resistance and fleeing being the most 
effective resistance strategies (Sochting, Fairbrother, & Koch, 2004). Women 
who take a longer time to notice danger signs in intimate situations with men 
they know are more likely than other women to experience rape more than once. 
Such previously victimized women are more likely to try to leave a dangerous 
situation only when it gets to the point when they are isolated, which is 
often too late. This delayed response to cues alerting them to danger 
increases the likelihood that they will be revictimized (Messman-Moore & 
Brown, 2006).  These studies all point to the need to teach women about 
effective resistance strategies, characteristics of perpetrators, and danger 
signals in situations that could lead to rape.



Men who rape are particularly more likely to drink higher amounts of alcohol 
when a sexual encounter is or might be taking place (Abbey, Clinton-Sherrod, 
McAuslan, Zawacki, & Buck, 2003b; Abbey, McAuslan, Zawacki, Clinton, & Buck, 
2001a; Carr & VanDeusen, 2004).  Sexually coercive men also believe that 
women are dishonest about not wanting to have sex on a particular occasion. 
This is especially evident when both parties involved in the incident have 
consumed alcohol (Norris, George, Davis, Martel, & Leonesio, 1999). In 
addition, men who admit to being sexually coercive with women in their past 
are also more likely than other men to have been otherwise more physically 
aggressive towards women, adhere to adversarial beliefs between men and 
women, and display lower levels of empathy (Abbey et al., 2001b). Men who 
have been sexually coercive with women are also more likely to support 
traditional gender-role stereotypes, to initiate sexual encounters, and 
justify aggressive behaviors by supporting rape-myths (e.g., "women enjoy 
forced sex") (Abbey et al., 2001b).  Thus there are important characteristics 
that can be singled out that women can be taught about dangerous men and 
dangerous situations.  Of course, in doing so this must be done so as to not 
blame any woman for a rape and to place the blame squarely on perpetrators.



>From a situational perspective, ethnographic research into college party 
>culture reveals that it is normative for women to find interest from men to 
>be a source of self esteem and for men to derive a high standing among their 
>peers from obtaining sex from highly desired women. Research has further 
>shown that women are expected to be appreciative of men's hospitality in 
>deference to men's often older age and fraternity membership. These gendered 
>roles can place women in a vulnerable position, making sexual assault a 
>possibility, should men choose to exploit their power in that position 
>(Armstrong, Hamilton & Sweeney, 2006).  These dynamics must be taken into 
>account when exploring the dynamics of rape and talking with college 
>students about such situations.



The intent of this program is to engage women as potential bystanders rather 
than as potential victims by teaching them how to intervene to help protect 
their friends from sexual aggression, and teach them how to better respond to 
a friend who discloses victimization. Traditional programs for women have 
focused too much on women's behavior and not enough on educating women about 
recognizing the behavior of potential perpetrators (Rozee & Koss, 2001). The 
more women can recognize threatening cues in a situation that could turn into 
a sexual assault situation, the more likely they could be to resist or escape 
(Turchik, Probst, Chau, Nigoff, & Gidycz, 2007).  Thus, preparing women to 
respond assertively to threatening situations has the potential for helping 
women to resist assaults (Turchik, Probst, Chau, Nigoff, & Gidycz, 2007). 
Teaching women bystander intervention strategies empowers women to help all 
others to begin to be free from the societal burden of rape (Banyard, 
Moynihan & Plante, 2007).



In the program itself, a presenter or presenters go over basic definitions of 
rape, mental incapacity, and physical helplessness. Next, presenters showed a 
DVD from the National Judicial Education Program in which a researcher 
interviewed a man who committed rape. Program presenters then discuss the 
interview with the audience, identifying characteristics of high risk men to 
prepare audience members for situations in the future where they could help 
their friends avoid high risk men and get out of dangerous situations. After 
that, presenters talk about how to help a friend who survives rape. Then they 
asked audience members to talk about how they could intervene as active 
bystanders if a potential rape situation were about to occur in their 
presence. Finally, presenters by asking audience members what they personally 
are willing to do after the program to intervene as bystanders in rape 
situations.



I am currently finishing the final draft of a manuscript, with two women as 
co-authors, evaluating the effects of this program.  We found that women who 
saw it significantly improved their bystander efficacy and the bystander 
willingness to help.  They also significantly decreased their rape myth 
acceptance.



I do agree that it is most crucial to be educating men about this issue - 
they, after all, are the source of 98% of the rape that happens in this 
country.  I'm committed to educating men and supporting that effort in every 
way I find effective.  However, I also am convinced that we shouldn't leave 
women out of the picture.  By no means are women to blame - if there is one 
thing I'm clear on lately to people I'd think I've made myself clear on that 
point.  I do see a role for programs to women and I think that there are a 
number of men out there right now who are presenting to coeducational 
audiences and to audiences of men and women who likely have perspectives to 
share that are valuable.  I think the research-based program I'm developing - 
and still revising - is one that will be a useful addition to the field in 
some way.  Ultimately, if I understand everything you said, I think I agree 
with all of your points.  I surely welcome any more thoughts on this 
developing program at 
<mailto:>.



John Foubert
**************************************
John D. Foubert, Ph.D., LLC
Associate Professor and Anderson, Farris, and Halligan Professor
Program Coordinator, College Student Development Master's Degree Program
Oklahoma State University
School of Educational Studies
314 Willard Hall
Stillwater, OK 74078
(405) 744-1480
(405) 744-7758 fax


From: Juliette Grimmett 
[mailto:]
Sent: Wednesday, June 24, 2009 3:12 PM
To: 
;
 Foubert, John
Subject: Re: bystander program

Dear John,

I am just reading this response, and I have to ask, how on earth can anyone 
avoid rape besides locking themselves up by themselves in a basement for the 
rest of their lives?  If you could tell me more about that program, I would 
appreciate it because the title is throwing me off.  Why isn't the workshop 
called "How to not rape people "and targeted at men - that to me, is WAYYY 
more important if we are ever going to truly end this violence.

The example I just sent about women telling each other about sketchy guys is 
something that I would not call avoiding rape because 1) there is always 
someone else out there and 2) to me it implies that women have to keep on 
living their lives in a prison, doing this and that etc. for fear of abuse.  
Instead, I see it as getting women connected to trust and help each other as 
the first step and then approaching the sketchy guy about his behavior as the 
second step - creating that cultural change that it is not tolerated and even 
encouraging the women to say they will tell everyone they know to keep away 
from him - outcasting him and the behavior.  Therefore creating a culture of 
it being uncool and illegal to abuse women.

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts on your workshop,

thanks,

juliette

Are you an NCSU student interested in being a Sexual & Relationship Violence 
Peer Educator?  Join The Movement. Application can be found online at 
www.ncsu.edu/themovement <http://www.ncsu.edu/themovement >

Juliette Grimmett, MPH
Rape Prevention Education Coordinator
NC State University
Women's Center
3120 Talley Student Center
Campus BOX 7306
Raleigh, NC 27695-7306
Office: (919) 513-3232
24 Hour Sexual Violence Hotline: (919)618-RAPE (7273)
Fax: (919) 515-1066
email: 
<mailto:>

P Consider the environment before printing this email or the attachment.


>>> "Foubert, John" 
>>> <>
>>>  5/13/2009 5:40 PM >>>
Michelle and others,

With regard to your question about bystander intervention programs for women, 
I am now available to present a program to college women that has a 
significant bystander intervention component called "Helping Friends Avoid 
Rape and Helping Survivors to Recover."  This is in addition to my 
established program for men "How to Help a Sexual Assault Survivor: What Men 
Can Do."

I also have begun to do presentations on the harms done by pornography called 
"Uncovering the Truth about Pornography."  I'm now booking dates for all 
three of these presentations for this fall and can be contacted at 
<mailto:>
 or at 405-338-8046.

John Foubert

**************************************
John D. Foubert, Ph.D., LLC
Associate Professor and Program Coordinator
College Student Development Master's Degree Program
Oklahoma State University
School of Educational Studies
314 Willard Hall
Stillwater, OK 74078
(405) 744-1480
(405) 744-7758 fax


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