Citation

Potter SJ. Am. J. Public Health 2016; 106(5): 822-829.

Affiliation

Sharyn J. Potter is with the Department of Sociology and the Prevention Innovations Research Center at the University of New Hampshire, Durham.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2016, American Public Health Association)

DOI

10.2105/AJPH.2016.303082

PMID

26985614

Abstract

I examined similarities and differences between the movement to prevent drunk driving of the 1980s, and current efforts to prevent and address campus sexual assault. As college and university administrators design policies and initiatives to reduce campus sexual assault in response to new federal legislation and regulation, they can apply lessons from successful public health initiatives to reduce drunk driving initiated more than 3 decades ago. I illustrate how interventions at the 5 levels of the social-ecological model, and messages that address entrenched cultural attitudes condoning sexual assault and blaming its victims can be used to combat campus sexual assault as a crime and a public health problem. I also show how efforts to promote community engagement can change behavioral norms and reduce offenses. (Am J Public Health. Published online ahead of print March 17, 2016: e1-e8. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2016.303082).

Language: en