Sexual Violence Prevention in Oklahoma

Across the nation, there is growing momentum to address the problem of sexual violence through a public health, primary prevention approach. This momentum is a natural evolution and expansion of the grassroots movement to end sexual violence, led in large part by the thousands of local sexual assault centers throughout the country and the state coalitions that represent them. With the goal of dramatically reducing the overall level of sexual violence in our communities, states in every region of the country are grappling with the question, “What more can be done to prevent sexual violence before it occurs?”

To answer this question in Oklahoma, the Oklahoma Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault, Oklahoma State Department of Health and Oklahoma Attorney General’s Office convened a group of leaders on September 11 and 12, 2006 to initiate a statewide strategic planning process. The convening was designed to allow the group to make significant progress in a short amount of time through frank dialogue and creative thinking. The convening was structured to achieve three specific objectives:

1. Identify preliminary objectives and potential activities for primary prevention of sexual violence in the state of Oklahoma, across the Spectrum of Prevention
2. Identify preliminary infrastructure, data and evaluation needs for accomplishing primary prevention objectives in Oklahoma.
3. Identify potential next steps to complete strategic planning. 

This report summarizes the outcomes of the convening as well as the assessment interviews that were conducted prior.

Oklahoma Rape and Sexual Violence Prevention: Strategic Planning Convening Summary (943k .pdf)