What is primary prevention?
Primary prevention is employed before any sexual violence has occurred to prevent initial perpetration and victimization. Primary prevention includes building an environment that encourages well-being and healthy choices. This could include approaches such as public dissemination of information and resources. Primary Prevention can be directed toward either at “Universal” or “Selected” audiences. Universal reflects strategies aimed at everyone in the population of interest, independent of risk. Selected denotes strategies directed toward those in the population at increased risk for sexual violence perpetration or victimization.
Primary Prevention Learning Resources
Overview of Strategies
| creating opportunities to engage in conversation about sexuality | comprehensive sexual health education that is developmentally appropriate | providing sexual respect messaging that addresses cultural differences | teaching skills on relationships, communication, boundaries, and navigating consent |
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Primary Prevention Strategies Think about these things in roles other than the one you have at St. Olaf (sibling, parent, mentor, friend). These strategies are slow and require a long-term commitment and vision, grappling with the connections between sexual violence and other forms of oppression, and new kinds of collaboration. |
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| advocacy campaigns that change gender roles, hypersexualization of bodies, and violence in media | bystander training that emphasizes skill development and use of knowledge | promoting gender equity through social norms, creating settings to freely examine masculinities | develop structures to ensure educational and skill-building opportunities |