[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 176 (Tuesday, October 31, 2017)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1467]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   JANE STAPLETON: TESTIMONY BEFORE THE BIPARTISAN TASK FORCE TO END 
                            SEXUAL VIOLENCE

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. ANN M. KUSTER

                            of new hampshire

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, October 31, 2017

  Ms. KUSTER of New Hampshire. Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record the 
following:

       Good morning Congresswoman Kuster and co-chairs Meehan, 
     Speier and Joyce.
       My name is Jane Stapleton and along with Dr. Sharyn Potter, 
     I am the Director of Prevention Innovations Research Center 
     at the University of New Hampshire. It is an honor to provide 
     testimony on campus sexual violence and promoting healthy 
     relationships and consent education in K through 12 schools 
     to the Bipartisan Task Force to End Sexual Violence. 
     Prevention Innovations is made up of researchers and 
     practitioners who work together to create, evaluate and 
     disseminate evidence-based prevention and responses to sexual 
     and relationship violence. We work to build practitioners' 
     capacities to respond to survivors, prevent violence and 
     navigate the changing landscape of federal laws and mandates. 
     We believe that to truly end the problems of sexual and 
     relationship violence in K through 12 schools and post-
     secondary education, we must understand what works in 
     prevention and response and then implement evidence-based and 
     research informed prevention strategies.
       Together, my colleagues and I have developed, evaluated and 
     implemented prevention strategies to engage community members 
     as bystanders who take responsibility to create safe and 
     respectful learning and living environments. Prevention 
     Innovations' evidence-based prevention strategies include:
       Bringing in the Bystander, an in-person prevention program 
     with high school and adult versions
       Know Your Power bystander intervention social marketing 
     campaign
       uSafeUS, a mobile app that puts trauma informed responses 
     and evidence-based prevention strategies in the hands of 
     survivors and their allies
       Still in development: a Bystander Intervention Video Game
       Increased attention to sexual and relationship violence in 
     schools has led to exponential growth in the number of 
     vendors offering solutions to these pervasive public health 
     problems. Vendors sell products that guarantee compliance and 
     prevention, oftentimes with little to no scientific evidence 
     to suggest that they are effective. Prevention Innovations 
     has recently published a white paper on choosing prevention 
     products. It seems appropriate to share this guidance with 
     the Bipartisan Task Force.
       It is essential to know whether prevention products have 
     been thoroughly evaluated with scientific research methods. 
     Prevention products should have stated, measurable learning 
     objectives that can be evaluated. Ongoing evaluation and 
     utilization of the best available evidence should also inform 
     the product's evolution over time.
       Sexual and relationship violence are nuanced issues, so it 
     is vital that prevention efforts are developed by people with 
     expertise. The best interventions adhere to the principles 
     for effective prevention.
       Effective prevention strategies are informed by theories 
     that have been developed and validated through rigorous 
     scientific scrutiny. Effective prevention products should be 
     grounded in theories that foster change.
       Prevention efforts are most effective when they use 
     multiple modalities such as text, video, audio, case studies, 
     interactive exercises, gaming principles, and skills 
     practice. Products should be developmentally and culturally 
     appropriate to your audience and well-suited to the method of 
     dissemination.
       It is critical that all efforts promote a campus culture 
     that supports survivors. It is important to consider the 
     impact of prevention products and programs on members of the 
     community who are survivors and secondary survivors, and to 
     ensure they are trauma-informed products.
       The product should be informed by those for whom it was 
     intended. A prevention strategy developed for a college 
     student is most likely not appropriate for a high school 
     student and definitely not for a middle school student.
       Prevention efforts require sufficient dosage to be 
     effective. Cutting down the prevention dosage could lead to 
     inadequate or no effect or could potentially cause harm. One-
     time programs are tempting, and vendors may claim that they 
     ``check all the prevention boxes,'' but a solo packaged 
     program or a single annual event will not change campus 
     culture.
       It is vital that prevention messages are socioculturally 
     relevant and reflect a community's diversity. For prevention 
     efforts to be effective, members of the community need to see 
     situations and people like those they would regularly 
     encounter.
       While we know a lot about prevention, there is still so 
     much we do not know, such as the impact of consent education 
     on reducing sexual assault perpetration; and the 
     effectiveness of on-line prevention modules, community and 
     societal level interventions. The best way to proceed in our 
     efforts is to continue to develop scientifically evaluated 
     prevention strategies and implement these evidence-based and 
     research informed prevention tools in a comprehensive plan 
     that engages all members of the social ecology.
       On behalf of Prevention Innovations Research Center, I 
     would like to thank the Bipartisan Task Force for your 
     careful consideration of our suggestions for the most 
     effective elements of prevention in K through 12 and 
     colleges. I welcome your questions and the opportunity to 
     provide additional information.

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