Promising Practice Programs

About Date Rape website

Agency Violence Against Women Specialist Unit
Communities Division,
NSW Department of Community Services,
Locked Bag 28,
Ashfield, NSW 1800
Website http://www.aboutdaterape.nsw.gov.au/
Contact Senior Project Officer, The Violence Against Women Specialist Unit
Phone: (02)9716 2061
Fax: (02)9716 2055
Email: vaw-unit@agd.nsw.gov.au
Start date October 2004
End date Ongoing
Program type
  • Community awareness/education
  • Service provider training
Geographical area State/Territory and Australia wide
Target group Women
Description The "About Date Rape" website provides non-judgmental and supportive information to young people seeking help or information about date rape and sexual assault. It particularly challenges the myths and misconceptions about sexual assault and date rape, allows an understanding of the experiences of victims - including case examples and provides links to appropriate services and other sources of information. The "About Date Rape" website is a component of the Negotiating Consent Resource Kit, which is a range of resources for teachers and facilitators to discuss safer sexual relationships, negotiating consent and date rape.
The overall aims of Negotiating Consent Resource Kit are:
  • To reinforce messages to young men and women about some common/legitimate responses which are refusals to sex.
  • To provide information to young people seeking help or information about date rape and sexual assault.
  • To provide the opportunity to challenge some common myths and misconceptions regarding sex and sexual assault.
  • To supplement existing personal development, health and physical education and other curriculum and resources that address the issue of sexual assault and healthy relationships.
Good practice examples
  • Takes account of contemporary research and practice developments in the field of sexual assault.
  • Demonstrates a sensitivity towards the barriers faced by victim/survivors in disclosing and reporting sexual assault.
  • Includes processes of accountability and evaluation.
  • Demonstrates a capacity for replication (i.e. other services/organisations could adapt/re-model the program for their use).
  • Young people were directly involved in creating the design and the content of the website.
  • The website has been extensively focus tested by young people from metropolitan and rural areas.

Research such as the 'Partnerships against Domestic Violence' examination of youth attitudes to sexual assault have found that there was an increase in acceptance of sexual violence in adolescent males.(see research informing program)
Adolescence is the developmental state when young people are forming their beliefs and experiences about intimate relationships. So this is an opportune time to reinforce the value of non-violent relationships as well as raise awareness of the dynamics, impact and responsibility associated with sexual violence.(see research informing program)
The "About Date Rape" website provides a valuable challenge to the increasing acceptance in some young men's attitudes that forcing women to have sex is acceptable. It also ensures that young people are conscious of their rights and are aware of assistance and services available to them as victims of sexual violence, enabling and encouraging them to access these services.
Based on existing program No
Philosophical framework Underpinning our approach is a feminist analysis of sexual violence with power as its central concept.
Power refers to control, domination and exploitation with sexual violence seen, not as an act of sex, but of power and control.
Women's overwhelming experience as victims, not as perpetrators is inextricably tied to gendered power relations. Feminism ensures the responsibility for acts of violence is not placed with those who have been subjected to it. It locates responsibility with those who use violence and the broader relations of power that make this violence and abuse more prevalent and acceptable.
Research informing program
  • Partnerships Against Domestic Violence, "Young people and domestic violence - National research on young people's attitudes and experiences of domestic violence" (2000) National Crime Prevention AGD
  • The 3rd National Survey of Australian Secondary School Students, HIV AIDS and Sexual Health (2002) found that 28.1% of young women and 23.3 % of young men have experienced unwanted sex. Common reasons given for unwanted sex included being too drunk (16%) or pressure from a sexual partner (13%).
Publications None
Evaluation An independent evaluation of the Negotiating Consent Resource Kit will include an evaluation of the "About Date Rape" website. This is anticipated for 2007.
Funding Sources The NSW Strategy to Reduce Violence Against Women is jointly funded by;
NSW Department of Community Services, NSW Police, NSW Health, Attorney General's Department and the Department of Housing.

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