Poster #13

PEP Talk program for gender-based violence prevention with young adolescents: Curriculum and evaluation

By: Ramona Alaggia. Co-authored by Shannon Brown; Leslie McCallum; Carolyn O'Connor; Rachael Pascoe; Audrey Rastin

Abstract:

Early adolescence is characterized by intense relational and biological changes, with sexual exploration and initiation of dating. These developmentally normative milestones bring new risks, like sexual violence, and can establish long-term behavioral patterns. PEP Talk, a gender-based violence prevention program funded by the Public Health Agency of Canada, is an 11-module program delivered to 12-14 year-olds in school systems, aimed at teaching how to build positive, healthy relationships and preventing abuse and violence. Using a quasi-experimental, pre-post intervention design with a control group, paired-sample t-test results of the PEP Talk evaluation show significant changes in: gender stereotypes, sexual consent, lack of behavioural consent, past peer victimization, negative sanctions, social support, and awareness of consent. Independent sample t-tests determined that perceived prevalence, social support, awareness of consent, and past peer victimization significantly differed in the intervention group from the control. Practice implications indicate that PEP Talk programming can benefit students in early-stage adolescence by intervening early, thus promoting development of healthier intimate relationships, sexual consent awareness, and reduction of negative gender stereotyping at an important relational and sexual developmental point.

ramona alalggia

Ramona Alaggia is a Professor at the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work at the University of Toronto holds the Margaret and Wallace Chair in Child and Family. Her research focuses on gender and violence; gender based violence prevention programming; child sexual abuse disclosures and mental health effects; intimate partner violence and structural barriers; and promoting ways to foster resilience processes in children, youth and adults exposed to violence. Results of her research aid in mitigating the longterm effects of trauma, violence and abuse on children and youth. She strongly advocates for the use of trauma informed approaches for service delivery. Dr. Alaggia is part of an international research advisory group for child advocacy initiatives. Her most recent study is on the impact of the MeToo movement on sexual violence disclosures in Canada.