Australian
Research Council Linkage Grant 2005-2017
Promoting ethical non-violent relationships of young women
and men
The origin of
this research is based on five years of researching and critiquing
anti-violence education and social policy to prevent sexual violence
within relationships. I discovered a number of disturbing implications
of the way anti-rape education is currently being conceptualised
and developed. In summary:
- A primary
focus on secondary and tertiary prevention after an assault has
occurred.
- Focus on
women managing risk or danger thus reinforcing women's responsibility
for avoiding rape- most programmes targeted at women only
- Limited
hours of input in programs in both US and Australia
- Assume awareness
raising about rape will lead to a change in abusive behaviour
- Researchers
found a rebound effect i.e. ‘a perpetrator’ focused
educational strategy aimed at reducing domineering masculine behaviour
backfired as stereotypes were unintentionally reinforced among
the cohort.
- Programs
were poorly evaluated with little long term impact assessed
- Made assumptions
that all men are potentially violent and all women at risk of
violence
- Provided
no input to assist young women and men to develop skills based
on care for themselves or their partner therefore ignoring the
complexity of negotiating sexual intimacy.
These insights
led me and my industry partner to ask how could we develop alternative
frameworks for prevention education and sexual assault. My theoretical
work on sexual ethics and violence prevention (Carmody
2003) and a subsequent qualitative study of 25 women and men
on negotiating ethical sex suggested a new direction (Carmody
2005).
Young women
between the ages of 16-25 years of age are a high-risk group for
sexual assault. Young men on the other hand are most likely to commit
sexual offences between 16-25. This suggests that prevention education
should have a primary focus on this age group and include men as
well as women. Young people’s fears, anxieties and experiences
of early sex as well as asking how they negotiate this intimacy
are often invisible in framing anti-violence education. This research
will begin with interviewing young women and men of diverse sexualities
and cultural backgrounds from 3 rural and 3 metropolitan sites.
This knowledge,
existing published research and practice experience will be used
to develop a training package that will be delivered by educators
who will be trained and supported by the project to run the programme
with young people. A key feature of the project is the capacity
building of youth educators to deliver education based on increasing
the skills of young people to negotiate sexual intimacy within a
framework of sexual ethics and non-violence.
Ongoing evaluation
of the project will occur, something that is often absent from existing
programmes. In addition and most importantly, young people who participated
in the programme will be interviewed 6 months after completion of
the education programme to assess the impact of the input on their
intimate relationships.
The findings
of the research will inform policy makers, educators and community
organisations working with young women and men and contribute to
debates and practice about sexual assault prevention.
Associate Professor
Moira Carmody, School
of Social Sciences and Centre for Social Justice and Social Change
Industry Partner
– NSW
Rape Crisis Centre.
Related
publications
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