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Prevention

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More than ever, young people need support navigating the dynamics of dating and sex. Adults who work, or live, with youth, have numerous opportunities to model and discuss what young people can and should expect from safe and healthy dating relationships. Project PEACE supports youth serving organizations and parents in encouraging and helping youth to develop healthy and safe relationships.

Sexual Assault, Dating and Intimate Partner Violence ARE preventable

Arlington is committed to ending violence before it begins through prevention and outreach efforts across the county. Our work on prevention includes providing programs to a broad range of adults and adolescents; through schools and the general community. These prevention programs help individuals explore topics such as: defining the elements of both a healthy and an abusive relationship; discussing the differences between healthy sexuality and the use of force, coercion, and intimidation; examining the messages we receive from our environment and looking at how we can help one another and keep ourselves safe.

Learn More About Project PEACE's Prevention Efforts:

Askable Adult Initiative

Askable Adult Initiative: Adopted by the Vermont Network, Project PEACE's Askable Adult initiative aims to ensure every young person in Arlington County has at least one askable adult─ someone who creates a safe, nonjudgmental space for youth to ask questions and seek guidance about the things that matter to them most. Being an askable adult helps foster trust, communication, and emotional support, empowering youth to navigate challenges with confidence. Visit the Askable Adult webpage to learn more about skill building for adults or to attend an upcoming workshop.

Healthy Relationships Taskforce

Healthy Relationships Taskforce: Through partnership with the Arlington Teen Network Board, the Healthy Relationships Task Force (HRT) is a group of students from all of the Arlington high schools who meet bimonthly to raise awareness about healthy relationships and consent. HRT promotes awareness through educational campaigns, meetings and outreach efforts throughout all Arlington County Public Schools and in the community.

Work to Engage Men and Boys

Project PEACE's vision for engaging men and boys in prevention is that Arlington is a community in which men and boys discover their identity without limitations, engage in healthy relationships, and dedicate themselves to ending sexual and intimate partner violence.

PEACE Begins at Home

Most people don’t fall into a healthy relationship; we learn how to create them. This healthy relationships community workshop series is an opportunity for adults in the community to enhance their relationship skills. Topics include: safe and healthy intimate relationships, practicing safe disagreements in healthy relationships, and exploring ways to support a friend in a unsafe or unhealthy relationship. Workshops are free, held virtually and in-person, and open to all!

Ways Project PEACE can Support Youth:

Provide brochures and other literature focused on teens and healthy dating/relationships. Project PEACE’s materials for youth were created by Arlington Youth for Arlington Youth with the help of students from Wakefield and HB.
Provide guest speakers for individual classes and assemblies. Whether it’s health classes or assemblies, Project PEACE can enhance your existing educational efforts.
Host a resource table during lunch or after school activities. With interactive activities and giveaways, Project PEACE staff can work with students to understand healthy vs unhealthy relationship behaviors and the concept of consent.

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Ways Project PEACE can Support Youth Serving Organizations:

Join a staff meeting or host a stand-alone training to discuss how the adults in your organization can encourage healthy relationship among the youth. Project PEACE topics for educators includes: understanding and supporting violence prevention efforts, knowing how to intervene if they witness violence and how to appropriately respond to someone who discloses abuse/violence. We can provide a brief 15-minute overview, or longer, more interactive trainings of an hour or more.
Host or lead a conversation with adults working with youth. Project PEACE can provide a brief 15-minute overview or longer, more interactive sessions of an hour or more; whether it’s part of a PTSA meeting, staff/team meeting, or stand-alone outreach opportunity. Project PEACE can also help with promotion!
Provide brochures and other literature focused on how adults can support the youth in their lives to develop and have healthy relationships. From brochures, to fact sheets, to online trainings we have materials for you!
Host a resource table during a PTSA Meeting or Parent Outreach Event. With interactive activities and giveaways, Project PEACE staff can talk with parents about how to support their teens in navigating dating relationships and consent.

To request a free presentation, training or materials please contact Project PEACE at ablowe@arlingtonva.us

Looking to Learn More Now?

Check out these free educational videos and training’s to start the conversation:

For Youth

Game On: GAME ON is the centerpiece of SafeBAE’s 2018 Sexual Assault Awareness Campaign – BAEcode. The campaign teaches and empowers teens to prevent sexual harassment and assault in their own peer groups. The campaign provides activist tools and presenter, parent and teen guide are available at www.safebae.org/guides
Consent is Like Tea: explanation of consent using a Tea analogy for pre-teens and teens
Consent for Kids: explanation of consent for small children
Bystander Intervention: Video created by the Michigan State University’s Sexual Assault and Relationship Violence (SARV) Prevention Program to communicate to high school

For Parents

Project PEACE Panel on Masculinity and Sexual Assault: a taped community event featuring male leaders in Arlington talking about masculinity and violence prevention.
Culture Reframed: Today, many youths are learning about sex, and specifically unhealthy sexual activity, through easy access to pornography. We must have the “porn talk” with our kids. But what do we say? Culture Reframed can help. CR has created a FREE online program for Parents of Tweens, complete with scripts that guide you in these life-changing conversations.
#UsToo: A video that shows what sexual harassment can look like in a middle school setting.

For Educators and Youth Serving Organization Staff:

Askable Adult Initiative: Adopted by the Vermont Network, Project PEACE's Askable Adult initiative aims to ensure every young person in Arlington County has at least one askable adult─ someone who creates a safe, nonjudgmental space for youth to ask questions and seek guidance about the things that matter to them most. Visit the Askable Adult webpage to learn more about skill building for adults or to attend an upcoming workshop.
Project PEACE Panel on Masculinity and Sexual Assault: a taped community event featuring male leaders in Arlington talking about masculinity and violence prevention.
Culture Reframed: Today, many youths are learning about sex, and specifically unhealthy sexual activity, through easy access to pornography. We must have the “porn talk” with our kids. But what do we say? Culture Reframed can help. CR has created a FREE online program for Parents of Tweens, complete with scripts that guide you in these life-changing conversations.
#UsToo: A video that shows what sexual harassment can look like in a middle school setting.

Trainings and Technical Assistance

Is your organization or business looking to train staff, volunteers or constituents on the dynamics of sexual, domestic and/or dating violence? Is your organization looking to create or enhance existing policies and procedures related to working with or supporting victims of violence? Project PEACE, and their members, are available to provide trainings and technical assistance regarding preventing and intervening to reduce sexual, domestic and dating violence with adults and youth. To learn more or request a training, please email ablowe@arlingtonva.us

Materials and Resources

Sexual and Domestic Violence Resources

Sexual Assault Response

Resources for Youth

Resources for Adults Supporting Youth 

The materials above are free to download and use. To request pre-printed versions please email info-projectPEACE@arlingtonva.us

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Get Help Now

If you need immediate assistance, here are a few crisis response resources available 24/7:

Doorways Dating/Domestic/Sexual Violence Hotline:

Call: 703-237-0881
Learn More

Inova Forensic Assessment and Consultation Team (Forensic Exams):

Call: 703-776-4001 (ask to page a SANE nurse)
Learn More

Victim/Witness Program (Mon-Fri, 9-5):

Call: 703-228-4410
Learn More

Virginia’s LGBTQIA+ Helpline

Call: 866-356-6998
Text: 804-793-9999
Chat

National Sexual Assault 24/7 Hotline:

Call: 800-656-4673
Chat

National Dating Abuse 24/7 Hotline:

Call: 866-331-9474
Chat

SAMHSA Suicide Prevention Lifeline:

Call or Text: 988
Chat

Volunteer Opportunities

Whether you are interested in working one-on-one with those impacted by domestic, dating or sexual violence or you are interested in supporting community wide prevention and policy initiatives, Project PEACE and our members have opportunities for you! Learn more here about the various opportunities available in Arlington.