Sexual assault resistance education for university women: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial (SARE trial)

Background: More than one in six women will be sexually assaulted in their lifetimes, most by men they know. On university campuses, as many as 1 in 4 female students experience rape or attempted rape. The health, social, and economic consequences are substantial. This randomized controlled trial aims to determine whether a novel, small-group sexual assault resistance education program reduces the incidence of sexual assault among university women compared with current university practice (informational brochures). Methods/Design: The trial evaluates a four-unit, 12-hour education program previously shown in pilots to have short-term efficacy. Three units deliver information, skills, and practice to speed risk assessment and action in acquaintance sexual assault contexts, reduce emotional obstacles to resistance, and increase effective verbal and physical self-defense. A fourth unit strengthens positive sexuality to support resistance to coercion by male intimates. The trial expands the participant pool and examines longer-term efficacy. A total of 1716 first-year female students (age 17–24) from three Canadian universities will be enrolled. The primary outcome is completed sexual assault measured by the Sexual Experiences Survey – Short Form Victimization (SES-SFV). Secondary outcomes include changes in knowledge, attitudes, and skills related to sexual assault resistance. Outcomes will be measured at baseline, 1 week, 6, 12, 18, and 24 months. Discussion: Results will inform optimization of a sexual assault resistance education program for universities, identify components needing strengthening, and indicate duration of effects and timing for potential refreshers. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01338428 Keywords: Sexual assault, Rape, Resistance, Education, Intervention