Raising Awareness and Prevention (RAP)

Raising Awareness and Prevention
The Raising Awareness Prevention (RAP) to End Sexual Violence Against Women begins with mentoring boys into men while transforming attitudes. Participants of RAP will learn to identify and respond to sexual harassment, and the skills needed for creating healthier relationships. Through discussion, role-plays and ongoing education and activities from young male-positive volunteers and mentors, this program will promote strength of character while educating young men that violence is wrong. RAP is building awareness, transforming attitudes, and prompting men to teach the next generation that sexual abuse is wrong. It is not about males blaming males but working as partners to eliminate sexual violence.

The curriculum consists of the following:
	Exploring Self-Awareness
	Dispelling long myths, attitudes and behaviors relating to sexual violence
	Fostering Mutual Respect and Understanding Sexual Harassment
	Finding Successful Solutions
	Defining A Healthy Relationship
	Developing Effective Communication Skills

Male Involvement & Volunteers
RAP empowers male mentors to teach adolescent males that sexual violence is wrong while transforming attitudes and behaviors. While working in collaboration with other agencies and institutions in the recruitment of young men as mentors, volunteers will receive training as mentors in the prevention of sexual violence. The intent is to recruit and train volunteers then enlist young men, while mentoring them, to collaborate and become active participants upon completion of the program, in hopes of changing our community culture and the media that foster gender-based violence.

One of the most important factors affecting young men is the negative influence of the media, music, society's views of "masculinity" and the void of positive male influence. Everyone can play an active role in building awareness by teaching boys that violence against women is wrong by taking the following steps:

	Be an ally and speak out against gender violence.
	Point out to other males that gender violence is wrong and they can help end it.
	Offer your skills and expertise as a source of support.
	Demonstrate your local organization's importance to the community to prevent rape.
	Question your own attitudes.
	Refuse to purchase sexually degrading media and make a personal commitment to end violence against women.
	Seek to partner as a mentor and volunteer by calling 722-8173.