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PREVENTION PROGRAMS
Sexual violence is preventable
Together, we can challenge the root causes of violence and build communities where everyone can thrive. The Alliance Against Sexual Violence (The Alliance) partners with young people, educators, community members, and local organizations to prevent sexual violence. Through education, leadership development, and bystander engagement, we help build safer, more informed communities. Every program is rooted in strong relationships, shaped by the communities we serve, and built on trust.
Comprehensive relationships and sex education supports young people’s health and well-being across a wide range of outcomes, including healthy relationships, child sexual abuse prevention, and dating violence prevention.
Source: Journal of Adolescent Health
LEARN MORE
To get involved in our prevention programming, reach out to The Alliance here.
PREVENTION PROGRAMS
The Alliance’s Campus Program works with colleges and universities to build communities where students, faculty, and staff are equipped to prevent sexual violence and support one another.
Guided by New York’s Enough is Enough law, we provide training, technical assistance, and student leadership development tailored to the specific needs of each campus community we serve.
Last year, The Alliance trained over 1,200 students, faculty, and staff across New York to foster a culture of prevention, support, and accountability on their campuses. We reached an additional 2,500 campus community members through events organized alongside these trainings.
How We Deliver Campus Programming
General Campus Program
Every campus is different. We work closely with our designated campus partners to understand their specific needs and provide programming that is relevant, responsive, and actionable. Programming may include workshops, trainings, educational initiatives, and other prevention and response activities tailored to the campus community.
We also help campuses build safer, more inclusive environments through policy and reporting guidance, consultation on campus safety improvements, and connections to local rape crisis centers, advocacy organizations, and legal aid services. Whether a campus is developing its sexual misconduct policies, strengthening its reporting structures, or looking to create more survivor-centered processes, we provide the support and expertise to help make that happen.
Who Should Participate
Campuses across New York State are encouraged to participate. New York’s Enough is Enough law (Education Law Article 129-B) established requirements for colleges and universities to prevent and respond to sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking. Through the statewide Enough is Enough (EiE) network, local programs partner with campuses to support this work through prevention education, resources, and other assistance. EiE programs serve specific campuses and communities across the state. If you’re not sure which program serves your campus — or your campus is not currently connected to one — reach out to us. We can work with you directly or help connect you with the appropriate local program.
Changemakers Fellowship Program
Our Changemaker Fellows are paired with a mentor aligned with their interests and skills so that they gain personalized guidance and hands-on experience. They also connect with peers across the city, build networks, and stay informed about the latest trends and issues in the field. Fellows apply the skills gained during the program by creating their own events for our annual Campus SAAM Week, a student-led digital initiative focused on campus sexual violence prevention and response.
Who Should Participate
Open to students and recent alumni at any New York City college or university interested in leading prevention and response work on their campus and exploring a career in the sexual violence sector.
Topics Covered
Our Campus Program offerings are built around New York’s Enough is Enough law and are adapted to each campus’s needs. Topics covered in both our General Campus Program and Changemakers Fellowship Program include:
- Genderbased Violence 101
- Healthy relationships
- Consent
- Bystander Intervention
- Options, Reporting, and Resources
Get Involved
Project DOT is a youth development program that equips young people ages 10 to 24 to challenge harmful norms and prevent sexual violence in their communities. In partnership with youth-serving organizations, we work with youth from gender, racial, and ethnically marginalized communities, centering those most impacted by sexual violence and least served by traditional prevention programming.
How We Deliver Youth Prevention Programming
Effective prevention takes time. Project DOT works with young people to build trust, develop skills, and create the conditions for lasting change.
Through an 8-12 week curriculum, participants practice the skills they need to challenge community acceptance of sexual violence and lead prevention efforts among their peers. We intentionally engage young people as co-creators of this work, not just participants, to develop their leadership in this space and confidence in forming healthy relationships. Toward the end of each cohort, participants complete a community mobilization project of their own design, bringing what they have learned back to their families, peers, and neighborhoods. Past cohorts have produced radio shows, led social media campaigns, facilitated community teach-ins for adult caregivers, and led focus groups with parents to foster intergenerational dialogue on healthy relationships.
Project DOT also offers pathways for community-based organizations and youth-serving professionals interested in bringing this work to their communities.
Topics Covered
Project DOT empowers young people by giving them tools to become trusted leaders in their communities. The DOT curriculum is intended to positively change young people’s behaviors, which will influence their peers and prevent future violence from occurring. The 8-12 week curriculum focuses on the following topics:
- Social and cultural norms, gender stereotypes, and gender in youth culture
- Leadership skills
- Healthy relationships and consent
- Challenging cultural and community acceptance of sexual violence
- Leading discussions with family, friends, and community stakeholders
- Bystander training, which includes inviting friends and family to participate
- Community mobilization projects: youth have produced radio shows, lead social media campaigns, facilitated community teach-ins for adult caregivers, and led focus groups with parents to foster opportunities for intergenerational dialogue on healthy relationship and dating practices.
Who Should Participate
Young People: Project DOT is open to young people between the ages of 10 and 24.
Community-Based Organizations: The Alliance partners with community-based organizations to deliver Project DOT in settings that young people know and trust. If you’re interested in bringing a one-time Project DOT workshop to your community-based organization, fill out this form. Community-based organizations and youth-serving professionals can also participate in one of The Alliance’s Train the Trainer sessions to learn to deliver DOT directly. If you’re interested in building facilitation skills that center and honor the experiences of youth, fill out this form.
Get Involved
Project DOT is Funded By
Nightlife is where New Yorkers connect, celebrate, and build community. Creating safer spaces is essential to ensuring those experiences are welcoming and inclusive. OutSmartNYC is a collaborative program between The Alliance and Crime Victims Treatment Center that works to prevent sexual violence in nightlife and entertainment spaces in New York City.
Developed alongside nightlife community members, the program trains venue staff, supports event organizers, and builds a culture where everyone can enjoy a night out without fear of harm. Last year, OutSmartNYC trained nearly 500 nightlife staff and provided safety advocacy at events serving over 10,000 patrons.
How We Work With Nightlife
Training & Workshops
Our free venue training workshops give nightlife staff the confidence and skills to intervene safely and effectively when they witness a concerning situation and to build a culture of care within their venue. Every workshop is tailored to the specific venue through a needs assessment conducted before training begins, and each session is co-facilitated by a nightlife community member and a consent educator and prevention expert. We also provide ongoing education, technical assistance, and tailored support.
Safety Advocacy & Event Support
OutSmartNYC offers event support through trained Safety Advocates who are on-site at events of all sizes. Safety Advocates are an easily identified resource for guests who feel uncomfortable or distressed, trained in bystander intervention, de-escalation, and trauma-informed responses to disclosures of sexual violence. Their presence serves both as a preventative measure and a response mechanism.
Community Organizing
OutSmartNYC brings nightlife community members together through community organizing events where industry professionals can share insights on trends and challenges related to sexual violence in nightlife spaces. When needed, we also connect nightlife community members to support services available to survivors of sexual violence and other violent crimes.
Topics Covered
Topics covered in OutSmartNYC trainings include:
- Sexual violence prevention
- Bystander intervention
- Recognizing and addressing identity-based harm
- Conflict resolution and de-escalation
- Harm reduction
- LGBTQIA+ inclusion and safety in nightlife
- Best practices for managers looking to strengthen their policies and procedures
Who Should Participate
Any and all staff working in the nightlife industry including managers, waitstaff, bartenders, security, promoters, event organizers, and more.
Get Involved
“For me, being in [the Changemakers Fellowship Program] has strengthened my passion for advocacy. As an introverted and quiet person, speaking out loud does not come naturally to me. But The Alliance mentors, volunteers, and employees remind students that our voices are what matter most. We are in some of the best positions to shine light on the social issues happening across the world, and it takes involvement in programs like the Changemakers to remind you. Once you start advocating, you don’t want to stop. I’m so glad I started.”
Collegiate Changemaker Fellow
2024 Participant
Learn more about our work
Training & Technical Assistance
We train the people survivors turn to first. From healthcare providers to legal professionals, we deliver specialized, trauma-informed training that strengthens the entire sexual violence response system.
Policy Advocacy & Legislation
We advance policy change that strengthens New York’s response to sexual violence, advocating for the legislation and resources that support survivors and the organizations that serve them.
Research
We generate the evidence needed to create meaningful change. Our research identifies gaps in services, reveals where survivors are underserved, and informs policy and systems change.