An Evaluation of a Sexual Assault Resistance Program for Adolescent Girls

Sexual violence (SV), which occurs along a continuum from unwanted sexual contact to rape, is common among adolescent girls and young women: research suggests 1 in 7 teen girls experiences SV. Perpetrators of SV are overwhelmingly male; however, the programs that exist to address boys'/men's perpetration are not sufficiently effective nor are they widely available. Other approaches to sexual assault prevention for adolescents, such as bystander programs, have not been shown to reduce sexual violence victimization or perpetration. Given the numerous negative consequences associated with SV, developing effective SV prevention and resistance programs targeting teens is critical for reducing victimization and improving health outcomes for adolescent girls. The Enhanced Assess, Acknowledge, Act (EAAA) sexual assault resistance program has been shown to substantially reduce rates of SV (50% for rape and attempted rape) in young women attending university (ages 17-24), but since it was designed for university students in a different developmental stage, an evidence-based adaptation was necessary. The purpose of the current study is to test the efficacy of the newly adapted Adolescent Enhanced Assess, Acknowledge, Act (A-EAAA) program in reducing sexual violence victimization among adolescent girls within 6-months of trial entry. We will continue to follow participants for one-year to evaluate whether changes in tertiary outcomes (e.g., mediators) are maintained to 12-months. A-EAAA is a 12-hour psychoeducational intervention that provides information, skills, and practice aimed at a) decreasing the time needed for girls to assess sexually coercive situations as dangerous and to take action, b) reducing emotional obstacles to taking action, c) increasing the use of the most effective methods of verbal and physical self-defense, and d) identifying sexual and relationship values and boundaries and reinforcing the right to defend them.