The Arizona Department of Health Services receives funds from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to provide programs aimed at preventing sexual violence in Arizona.  Currently, there are seven non-profit agencies in three counties receiving funds to support a variety of primary educational programs throughout the state. 
The target populations include students in junior high through college, women in the community, professionals (medical, legal, law enforcement), and minority populations, such as mono/bilingual Latino youth and Native American youth.

In 2006 RPEP was renamed the Sexual Violence Prevention and Education Program (SVPEP)to reflect its broader goals of ending all sexual violence, to include teen dating violence.

Why is this program needed?  

Rape/sexual violence is one of life’s most devastating traumas and is likely to lead to chronic illness.  Victims of sexual violence often manifest long-term symptoms of chronic headaches, fatigue, sleep disturbance, recurrent nausea, decreased appetite, eating disorders, menstrual pain, sexual dysfunction, and suicide attempts.

• In a longitudinal study, sexual assault was found to increase the odds of substance abuse by a factor of 2.5. 
• Estimates based on federal incidence data indicate almost 5 per 100 women over 12 years old were raped or sexually abused.
• It is estimated 8 of 10 rape/sexual violence victims know the rapist.
• Estimates of the occurrence of sexually transmitted diseases resulting from rape range from 3.6% to 30%.
• The risk of being infected with HIV from rape is estimated at 1 in 500.

Victims of marital or date rape/sexual violence are 11 times more likely to be clinically depressed, and 6 times more likely to experience social phobia than are non-victims. Psychological problems are still evident in cases as long as 15 years after the assault.

Teen dating violence is a growing issue with our young people.  Statistics show:

• About 1 in 11 teens reports being a victim of physical dating abuse each year.
• About 1 in 5 teens reports being a victim of emotional abuse. 
• About 1 in 5 high school girls has been physically or sexually abused by a dating partner.
• 1 in 3 teens report knowing a friend or peer who has been hit, punched, kicked, slapped, choked or otherwise physically hurt by his or her partner. 

What are the goals of the program? 

The mission of the Sexual Violence Prevention and Education Program is to promote prevention of sexual coercion and violence by increasing the public’s knowledge about sexual coercion and violence and applying that knowledge through diverse prevention efforts. 
The goals of the program include:

• Provide information and technical assistance that contribute to heightening awareness and the prevention of sexual coercion and violence.
• Improve communication, coordination, and collaboration among contractors and other organizations providing related services.
• Build program capacity by strengthening state and local program infrastructure.
• Identify need for and support rape/ sexual violence prevention education throughout Arizona, including sustaining or expanding successful programs and stimulating the development of new programs.

What has the program achieved?

For the past nine years, the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) Sexual Violence Prevention and Education Program, through community interventions, has provided sexual violence prevention and education to students, professionals, and community members. These interventions have covered all racial and ethnic groups throughout Arizona – including Native American and Hispanic groups. 

In early 2000, the ADHS RPEP and its contractors began to lay groundwork for developing best practices in rape/sexual violence prevention and education. Utilizing methods that are appropriate for the demographics and particular characteristics of their community, contractors determine how to achieve program standards and outcomes. We also began in 2005 to use the Nine Principles of Prevention, the social-ecological model, and’ saturation’ techniques as opposed to ‘sprinkling’ or one-time presentations.

Violence Prevention and Education

National Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month

Need more information?
Carol Hensell, Health Program Manager
Bureau of Women’s and Children’s Health
150 N. 18th Ave., Suite 320
Phoenix, Arizona 85007
Fax:     (602) 364-1495 
Phone: (602) 542-7343
Email:  henselc@azdhs.gov
Website:  http://www.azrapeprevention.org/
For the Sexual Assault Hotline in Your Area Call: