AN ABSTRACT OF THE THESIS OF Stephanie L. McClure for the degree of Master of Arts in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies presented on June 10, 2014. Title: Voices within a Gray World: An Evaluation of Oregon State University’s Sexual and Dating Violence Prevention Curriculum. Abstract approved: ______________________________________________________ Mehra A. Shirazi With the reauthorization of the 2013 Violence Against Women Act all Title IV higher education institutions will now be required to provide “primary prevention and awareness programs for all incoming students.” Yet, more research is needed to find prevention programs that are effective (White House Task Force to Protect Students From Sexual Assault 2014). This quasi-experimental study utilizes a mixed methods embedded design including both quantitative and qualitative measures to evaluate the effectiveness of the Oregon State University’s anti-violence prevention curriculums, Every1 and One Act Bystander Intervention Program, on student violence attitudes and beliefs, skill confidence and self-efficacy, and behavioral change. Quantitative data was collected using a pretest-posttest survey. Qualitative data was collected through observations, and focus groups with participants. No significant difference was found between control and experimental groups. Five themes emerged from the focus group: the curriculum increased dialogue on dating and sexual violence among students; the curriculum increased community awareness of dating and sexual violence as well as community support for survivors; students feel there are many multilayered complex ‘gray areas’ around consent that inhibit their ability to assess potentially violent situations in order to safely intervene; students need more diverse experiences represented within prevention curriculum and would like the curriculum to speak to a wider range of identities; students feel there are many barriers to reporting sexual or dating violence yet see Oregon State University as a influential and credible institution with the power to shape sexual and dating violence discourse and prevention efforts. Keywords: prevention, sexual violence, dating violence, One Act, violence prevention education, mixed methods, evaluation ©Copyright by Stephanie L. McClure June 10, 2014 All Rights Reserved Voices within a Gray World: An Evaluation of Oregon State University’s Sexual and Dating Violence Prevention Curriculum by Stephanie L. McClure A THESIS submitted to Oregon State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts Presented June 10, 2014 Commencement June 2015 Master of Arts thesis of Stephanie L. McClure presented on June 10, 2014 APPROVED: Major Professor, representing Women, Gender, & Sexuality Studies Director of the School of Language, Culture, and Society Dean of the Graduate School I understand that my thesis will become part of the permanent collection of Oregon State University libraries. My signature below authorizes release of my thesis to any reader upon request. Stephanie L. McClure, Author ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The author expresses sincere appreciation first and foremost to her amazing partner Erin Collins and supportive housemates, who helped her remember to eat food, that there were beverages other than coffee, to look up from her computer for longer than 5 minutes at a time, who invited her to join in much needed impromptu dance and/or yoga sessions, and reminded her to look up at the stars from time to time. Next I would like to express my utmost thanks to my incredibly amazing advisor Mehra Shirazi, who taught me community participatory methods and about public health, and academia, and intersectionality, and passion, and strength, and perseverance, and who was there when I was in tears, who was unconditionally supportive, who told me like it is, who mentored me, who rooted for me, who helped me get here in so many ways. Thanks to Bibi who taught me so much about statistics and SPSS and who saved me when I realized how much of a novice I truly was, and to Suzanna, Jenny, Bin and Chris for their amazing help and direction with my quantitative research. To Carrie Guise and Kyla Krueger who supported this project from the get go, who have been engaging students at OSU in these crucial conversations for years, who I have the utmost respect for, and am so grateful to have been able to work with. Many thanks to Nancy, who has helped me with my writing throughout my time at OSU. To Lorena, who inspires me, who pushes me, who makes sure I don’t get so lost in prevention development and evaluations that I loose sight of the battle raging around us, who gets where I’m coming from, who shows me what subversion from within looks like, who allows me to be a human who wants to do great social justice work and also be able to support my family and stop living in poverty and get fair wages for the work that I do, and have job security, and benefits. So many thanks to my dad, who is the biggest reason I am standing before you all. Who taught me what work was, who taught me to do my work with pride, and who taught me to work hard, work well, and to always persevere. To my entire family who taught me what love is, who engage with me on conversations that are difficult, and who always have my back. Especially to my Grandpa Sawyer and Grandma Trujillo who remind me why I strive, and who inspire me!! To my dear friend Sam who helped keep the boys busy, and me in touch with the world. Many thanks to Dr. Dubkin-Lee, who inspired me to educate, and was so gracious and supportive. Dr. Barnd who helped me distress with a little water cooler banter. To Leo who is continuously supportive of me and everyone else in this department, and who has saved me countless times with her amazing savvy, skills, and knowledge. To my cohort members who started this journey with me, who have grown with me, who have challenged me to grow further, who I have learned from, who I look forward to many years of friendship, scholarship, and activism with! Additional thanks to the entire department of WGSS, for the continued support and mentorship these past two years, which has enabled me to develop my intellectual life, and to see myself as a scholar. Lastly, thanks to all of the researchers doing prevention work, who I have learned so much from, and who inspire me to continue doing this work. To all the survivors I have met through the years who strengthen me, who inspire me, who remind me when I get lost why I am here and why this work is so important. To Kelli Raker and everyone else at UNC who has been working on the development of One Act and were willing to share what they have learned and talk with me about our programs and brainstorm ways we could continually improve and modify our curriculum here at OSU to better meet the needs of OSU students. TABLE OF CONTENTS Page 1 Introduction .................................................................................................................. 1 1.1 Statement of the Problem ..................................................................................... 1 1.2 Purpose of Study .................................................................................................. 4 1.3 Audience .............................................................................................................. 4 1.4 Preview of Remaining Chapters .......................................................................... 7 1.5 Literature Review ................................................................................................. 7 1.5.1 Defining sexual and dating violence ............................................................ 8 1.5.2 Prevalence .................................................................................................. 10 1.5.3 Alcohol influence on sexual and dating violence ....................................... 11 1.5.4 Greek life in relation to sexual and dating violence ................................... 12 1.5.5 Help-seeking ............................................................................................... 13 1.5.6 Effects of sexual and dating violence ......................................................... 15 1.5.7 Preventing sexual and dating violence ....................................................... 16 1.5.8 Sexual and dating violence prevention curriculum .................................... 17 1.1.9 Bystander intervention curriculum ............................................................. 18 2 Theory ........................................................................................................................ 22 2.1 Theoretical Perspectives on Sexual and Dating Violence .................................. 22 2.2 Theoretical Framework ...................................................................................... 24 3 Methods...................................................................................................................... 25 3.1 Problems with the Literature .............................................................................. 25 3.2 Design ................................................................................................................ 27 3.3 Participants ......................................................................................................... 28 TABLE OF CONTENTS (Continued) Page 3.4 Instruments ......................................................................................................... 29 3.5 Measurement