RAINN is proud to present the first national social norms media campaign focusing on the role that that men play in preventing sexual assault.
RAINN retained Alan Berkowitz, PhD, one of the creators of and expert in the social norms approach, to assist in developing the data set for the campaign and campaign messages and in the design of posters. Dr Berkowitz consulted with a number of other national experts in both social norms and violence prevention during this process.
In January 2005, RAINN distributed 10,000 posters to several hundred college campuses. Our campaign is targeted to men and focuses on the role that men can play in reducing the risk for and incidence of sexual assault on college campuses.
Using the limited data available, the posters, displayed above and at left, communicate vital messages about the importance of consent in sexual relationships and the value of intervention in the face of a situation that could lead to a sexual assault. This campaign builds on similar social norms campaigns undertaken by several colleges.
Data Sources:
Currently, no national data set exists which could be used to support this social norms campaign. In order to develop data that could be used in RAINN's poster campaign, Dr. Berkowitz conducted a review of existing data sets from individual institutions and received permission from eight schools to incorporate their data into a common message and aggregate statistic.
The data used in this campaign were provided by these eight cooperating universities. These institutions had already conducted surveys assessing topics of interest to RAINN, including men’s attitudes and behaviors about the importance of consent in intimate relationships and the role that men can play in preventing sexual assault.
The data from these surveys were collected between 1999 and 2003. Seven of these institutions contributed data that were used to develop the message about consent, and six of these institutions contributed data that were used to develop the message about men intervening to prevent sexual assault. A total of 3,068 men took these surveys, with 2,089 answering questions about consent and 1,833 answering questions about bystander behavior. These eight institutions vary in size and location and included the following: a large private university in the northeast, a medium-sized public university in the Atlantic region, a large public university in the Rocky Mountain region, a medium size private university in the northeast, a medium-sized public university in the northwest, a large public university in the Southwest, a large public university in the northeast, and a medium-sized public university in the Rocky Mountain region
Individual campuses developed their own surveys and did not use identical questions. However, because the individual survey questions were similar it was possible to come up with messages for the RAINN campaign that are consistent with the data provided by these schools.
The sources of the data and the specific questions asked in each survey are provided below.
Sources of Data for Consent Message
The message primary chosen by RAINN for the consent poster, based on surveys of 1,8333 men at six schools, is:
83% of college men respect their partner’s wishes about sexual activity.
The primary data-based message is followed by a secondary consent message:
"Trust your instincts. If the situation seems unclear, stop and make sure you both want the same thing. Tonight might not work out like you had hoped, but you’ll both have an easier time dealing with tomorrow."
Six schools contributed data that was used to develop the primary message, as follows:
1. Large private university in the Northeast.
Student Health Survey, 2003
N = 133 (% responding “agree”)
83% say that “Even if I had the chance to have sex, I would refrain from having sex if I sensed that my partner didn’t want to.”
2. Medium-sized public university in the mid-Atlantic region.
Men’s Attitudes and Behavior Survey, 1999
N = 425 (% who report “always” or “most of the time”)
90% of men “stop the first time their date says “no” to sexual activity”
87% of men stop sexual activity when asked to even if they are already sexually aroused.
3. Large public university in the Rocky Mountain region
Sexual Assault Campus Survey, 2001
N = 680 (% who “strongly agree” or “agree”)
91% say that “There is nothing cool about getting a woman drunk in order to have sex with her”
95% say that “When it comes to sexual activity ‘no means no’ ”
4. Medium-sized private university in the Northeast
Attitudes and Behavior Survey, 2002
N = 620
92% say “I stop the first time my date says no to sexual activity” (“most of the time” or “always”)
82% say “I stop sexual activity when asked even if I am already aroused” (“most of the time” or “always”)
5. Medium-sized public university in the Northwest
2002 Violence Related Behaviors and Beliefs Survey
N = 180 (% who say “most of the time” or “always)
95% say that “It is important to get consent before sexual intimacy”
6. Large public university in the Southwest
2003 Campus Health Annual Wellness Survey
N = 615
95% said that “In the past year I have always respected the wishes of my date/partner if he/she said no to sexual activity
7. Large public university in the Northeast
Men’s Willingness to Prevent Rape Study
N = 156 (% who agree)
86% say that they “would stop sexual activity when asked to, even if I am sexually aroused”
Sources of Data for Bystander Message
The primary message chosen by RAINN for the bystander poster, based on surveys of 2,809 men at 7 schools, is:
74% of college men would intervene to prevent a sexual assault
The primary data-based message is followed by a secondary bystander message:
"Be a friend. With a few well-timed words or actions you could save a friend from becoming a victim of sexual assault. Or from committing one."
Seven schools contributed data that was used to develop the primary bystander message, as follows:
1. Large private university in the Northeast
Health Survey, 2003
N = 133 (% responding “agree”)
58% say “I would intervene if I witnessed a friend trying to coerce an intoxicated person to have sex with him.”
2. Large public university in the Rocky Mountain region
Sexual Assault Campus Survey, 2001
N = 680 (% who “strongly agree” or “agree”)
91% say “I would try to help a woman if I thought she would end up being taken advantage of”
57% say “If I witnessed a man pressuring a woman to leave with him, I would ask her if everything is OK.”
96% say “If I saw a man physically mistreating a woman I know, I would try to help her.”
3. Medium-sized public university in the Northwest
2002 Violence Related Behaviors and Beliefs Survey
N = 180 (% who say “sometimes” “most of the time” or “always”)
49% say “When I witness a male “hitting on” a woman and I know she doesn’t want it, I intervene”
80% say “When I witness a situation which it looks like a female will end up being taken advantage of, I intervene”
4. Medium-sized public university in the mid-Atlantic region
Attitudes and Behavior Survey, 1999
N = 425 (% who report “always” or “most of the time”)
53% say “When I witness a situation in which it looks like a female will end up being taken advantage of, I intervene.”
5. Medium-sized public university in the Rocky Mountain region
Sexual Assault Campus Survey, 2001
N = 259 (% who “strongly agree” or “agree”)
67% say “If I witnessed a man pressuring a woman to leave with him, I would ask her if everything is OK.”
95% say “If I saw a man physically mistreating a woman I know, I would try to help her.”
6. Large public university in the Northeast
Men’s Willingness to Prevent Rape Study
N = 156 (% responding “agree”)
96% say that “If I saw a man put a drug in a woman’s drink I would tell her.”
77% say that “If I witnessed a man pressuring a woman to leave a party, I would ask the woman if everything was okay.”
Resources and Additional Information on Social Norms and Men’s Responsibility for Preventing Sexual Assault
For more information about Alan Berkowitz’s work on social norms campaigns and preventing sexual assault, visit www.alanberkowitz.com.
Family Violence Prevention Fund
Mentors in Violence Prevention
National Center for Victims of Crime
National Social Norms Resource Center
Report on Social Norms
Security on Campus
RAINN's Get Carded Program
TO ORDER THESE POSTERS OR FOR MORE INFORMATION ON RAINN'S SOCIAL NORMS POSTER PROJECT:
Contact Kelley Bevis, RAINN's Outreach Coordinator, at 202.544.3075 or via email.
The Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network is the nation's largestanti-sexual assault organization. With a national perspective and broadreach, RAINN is a trusted resource for media, policymakers and the public.Additionally, RAINN operates the National Sexual Assault Hotline at1.800.656.HOPE. Comprised of more than 1,000 local affiliates, the hotlinehas helped more than half a million victims of sexual assault since 1994. For more information, please visit the RAINN website at www.rainn.org
