Violence against Women on College Campuses: Identifying Key Strategies of Sexual Assault Prevention: A Review of the Literatur

My thesis aims to review the literature surrounding prevention of rape and sexual assault based on educational programs focused on the adult college population, but with attention to the longitudinal impact of prevention programs in public elementary, middle, and high schools across the country. I aimed to compile the best sexual assault and rape prevention strategies into a cohesive embodiment of recommendations for educational institutions, social workers, sexual assault research teams, and college advocates. I begin by outlining the historical representations of sexual assault and rape within American society. I then move to linking the acceptance of gender and sex-role stereotyping to the larger ideologies and culture of society. The key strategies I identify through the review of literature includes: exposing the rape myth, updating the Illinois Rape Myth Acceptance Scale (IRMA), gender sensitive bystander intervention programs, and targeting athletes as well as Greek life organizations on campus with multi-methods of sexual assault prevention programming. Additionally, I discuss institutional responsibility to implement K-12 prevention programming in order to create long-term change through prevention.