Peer Education Program Receives Federal Funding, Implements Outreach Initiatives

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RESPECT (Rape Education Services by Peers Encouraging Conscious Thought)

Since its founding in 2000, RESPECT (Rape Education Services by Peers Encouraging Conscious Thought) has used the concept of peer education to maximize its message and transform the college community's norms and attitudes toward rape.

RESPECT was awarded a $48,365 federal grant from the Arkansas Commission on Child Abuse, Rape, and Domestic Violence of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and the Arkansas Department of Health. The commission is authorized to allocate and administer funds for sexual violence prevention and education through a cooperative agreement with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

RESPECT has successfully secured funding from the commission for the past 15 years as a result of its innovative and impactful programming on campus.

This year RESPECT has 10 peer education interns who facilitate presentations, outreach events and awareness initiatives at the University of Arkansas.

The interns are motivated by a desire to change perceptions about sexual violence and rape culture. Freshman Nikki Warren said that she joined RESPECT because she "was tired of being afraid and feeling like I couldn't help myself and others."

The "While the Professor is Away Program" is offered to faculty on campus to schedule a RESPECT presentation instead of cancelling class when they are going to be out of town. The presentation is facilitated by two to three interns, and includes a pre- and post-test of the participants. LaChassisty Phillips, a senior, found that "the students' comments on the pre- and post-test show our impact and their changing views."

Sophomore Mai Le said, "A lot of people are unaware of rape culture, and we are able to enlighten them during a presentation."

This enables students to determine where they stand, and what they would do if a situation arose.

The Campus Clothesline Project is a yearly art instillation on campus to raise awareness about sexual violence and the effects on both the survivors and the community. This year the Campus Clothesline Project has taken a virtual form and is being shared on RESPECT's social media channels.

The "That's so 6%" campaign is new this fall and, "is based on the statistic that only about 6 percent of males will ever commit a sexual assault," said Maddy Shumate, sophomore.

About 25 percent of college-aged women are sexually assaulted, which demonstrates that most sexual predators are repeat offenders. The "That's so 6%" campaign aims to "make the 94 percent aware and to not tolerate that behavior," said Linda Gault, a senior.

Another initiative new to RESPECT this fall is the MEME Project. "The MEME Project is a way to spread our message," said Brooks Bonwich, a sophomore, and is done by using popular photos to share an educational message.

Sophomore Shelby Paver hopes to address the concept of victim blaming and "help people realize the effect that their words can have."

"The word 'rape' is being diminished by our peers," said Kiara Cloird, another sophomore, when people use phrases like "I just raped that test."

"We hope to change mindsets, and make attitudes that perpetuate rape culture taboo," added Nicholas Denny, freshman.

The RESPECT program continues to build on its success from years past while increasing their reach and relevance through new initiatives.

To find out more information visit respect.uark.edu.