October 2015

One year ago we launched Culture of Respect and embarked on a journey to make a tangible impact on the national movement to end campus sexual assault.

Undoubtedly, 2014-2015 has been a year of great advancement in the national dialogue concerning campus sexual assault, an issue that exists at the intersection of education, public health, and civil rights. Through the brave work of student activists, filmmakers, artists, legislators, forward-thinking college administrators, parents and others, we have seen an unprecedented growth in awareness.

A Year of Partnership and Progress

Throughout our first year we worked behind the scenes to develop resources that support higher education leaders in their efforts to eliminate sexual assault on campus, while taking every opportunity to protect the interests of survivors in national conversations.

• We launched cultureofrespect.naspa.org, an expansive information portal housing evidence-based prevention programs, key statistics, handbooks, and academic research for all stakeholders fighting to end campus sexual assault.

• More than 150 universities and colleges accessed the CORE Blueprint and our self-assessment tool, the CORE Evaluation.

• 14 pioneering colleges and universities nationwide participated in the launch of the CORE Blueprint Pilot Program, a rigorous implementation of the CORE Blueprint and CORE Evaluation coupled with a research project; initial findings are anticipated by mid-2016.

• We have established Culture of Respect as a leading voice in the national dialogue and provided perspectives to diverse top-tier media including: The New York Times, NPR’s All Things Considered, The Christian Science Monitor, Huffington Post, Diversity & Democracy,Public Purpose, and many others.

The Real Work Is Just Beginning

On the heels of last month’s Association of American Universities’ Campus Survey On Sexual Assault And Sexual Misconduct, we are more motivated than ever to partner with our country’s colleges and universities to shift the momentum from awareness to action.

While we advocate for a holistic approach to eliminate sexual assault through our CORE Blueprint, we want to highlight two key components of that six-pillar framework:

1. Education

Attitudes and behavior will not change with a one-off freshman seminar. Robust multi-tiered education must be provided throughout all four years of the undergraduate cycle for substantive cultural renewal to occur. Educational programs are broadly regarded as critical components to changing campus culture and decreasing campus sexual assaults; we are working with higher education leaders to expand efforts.

2. Trained Investigators

We believe that calling on trained investigators is the only way to ensure fairness in the adjudication process for all parties involved in a sexual assault claim. This year, we look forward to bringing more action to this essential issue as we make the presence of trained investigators the gold standard.

Moving From Awareness To Action

The CORE Blueprint and Pilot Program are valuable resources that will deepen colleges’ and universities’ understanding of this complex issue so they can move from awareness to action. This year, with the support of our community, we will make these tools accessible to even more campuses and continue to partner with higher education to build a Culture of Respect.

Are you with us?