Prevention

In order to prevent stalking, dating and domestic violence, and sexual assault from occurring, we must address the fundamental causes of the violence. These are not isolated crimes committed by people on the fringe of societal norms. These crimes are committed by individuals who are part of our society and who have learned behaviors of power and control and use these strategies in their relationships.

All of us can take a stand to prevent violence by confronting violent beliefs and attitudes before the violent actions occur.
 
Our campuses engage violence prevention work through a diverse and thought-provoking variety of approaches, techniques, and formats. Among these are:

• Engaging in discussions of the facts and raising questions about why this violence occurs
• Talking about healthy relationships and healthy sexuality
• Confronting the gender and racial stereotypes that are the basis for the disrespect that leads to interpersonal violence
• Examining the research about perpetrators and survivors in order to accurately understand what is happening
•  Challenging all members of our community to recognize these crimes as the exertion of power and control by one person over another
•  Using peer education so students can reach out to other students
• Analyzing media content to understand how cultural messages contribute to the problem or violence, or its solution
• Through men engaging other men in order to move beyond the belief that these are "women's issues"

Preventing sexual violence is not the responsibility of the survivor of the violence. Preventing sexual violence cannot be achieved by recommending that people restrict their activities in order to avoid being victimized.  Risk reduction is not prevention. The rest of us are responsible for finding ways to prevent more violence from occurring.  Survivors must do what is best for their healing.

Self-defense is a form of risk reduction that can be empowering and educational. A good self-defense course will include the information that most assaults are committed by an acquaintance, that the survivor is not responsible for the assault, that there are many methods of defending yourself and whatever you do to survive is the right thing to do. 

 
Mandatory Prevention Education

Programs have been established for all incoming students at every University of California campus to introduce students to laws, campus policies, resources for help on campus and in the community, causes of violence, and how to help survivors.
  
See Publications page for an overview of these programs

Coordinated Community Response Teams (CCR)

Every campus has formed a group of campus and community members who work together to develop prevention education, update policies and procedures, and improve the services for survivors. It will take our entire community to end violence.

See Publications page for a guide to forming a CCR team

Awareness Months

January – Stalking Awareness
April – Sexual Assault Awareness
October – Domestic Violence Awareness