Training young women to recognize the risk of sexual assault and how to defend themselves halves the number of rapes and attempted rapes.
At university, one in four women will be raped. But it is possible to anticipate these attacks … from the victim’s side. Canadian researchers have developed a half-verbal, half-physical approach that allows young women to defend themselves. The program not only prevents rape, it also limits touching, according to results published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Verbal and physical self-defense
Female students are particularly at risk of being sexually assaulted. This is what prompted psychologist Charlene Senn to develop a prevention program. His idea: as with bacterial or viral infections, it is impossible to reduce the risk to zero. But it is possible to train the immune system to defend itself. By training women to defend themselves, it should therefore be possible to reduce the rate of rape.
For 10 years, Dr. Senn worked on the development of an intervention program. The results of her work have been tested with 893 Canadian students. They were randomly divided into two groups, including one control that only consulted brochures on rape. The intervention consists of four three-hour sessions. Participants receive information and are trained to assess risk, recognize danger, and engage in verbal and physical self-defense.
Risk reduced by 46%
“The risk of rape at one year is significantly lower in women in the resistance group compared to the control group,” concludes Dr. Charlene Senn. The number of rapes and the number of attempted rapes are 46% and 63% lower. The impact can also be seen in attempted coercion and unwanted touching. For 22 women enrolled in the program, one rape was prevented.
While waiting for an effective intervention on the attitude of men, this solution proves its effectiveness, conclude the researchers. “The health and social consequences of sexual assault can be serious and long-term,” says Dr. Senn. We know the program is working, and we see it as an important step in empowering young women. “
An effective human program tested in Kenya
Training young women to defend themselves against sexual assault is a big step forward. But teaching young men to recognize consent is another. LONG No Means No Worldwide, which operates in the slums of Nairobi (Kenya) set up a short training course with 1,500 young men (15-22 years old). Educators discussed with them the themes of sexuality, consent and stereotypes about women. They also pointed out the importance of taking action when they witness violence against women. The results, published in the Journal of Interpersonal Violence, show that, compared to a control group, the young “trained” men show more tolerance towards women, and did not hesitate to defend them in the event of aggression.
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