Evaluation of a sexual assault education/prevention program for male U.S. Navy personnel.
A randomized clinical trial was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the Navy Sexual Assault Intervention Training (SAIT) program for men. A four-group Solomon design was used to control for possible pretest sensitization effects. Male Navy personnel (N = 1,505) were assessed for rape knowledge, rape myth acceptance (two scales), and rape empathy after participating in the SAIT program or viewing an educational video about HIV/AIDS (comparison condition). The SAIT program was found to be effective in increasing rape knowledge, reducing rape myth acceptance, and increasing empathy for rape victims. As expected, men who had exhibited previous coercive sexual behavior, compared with those who had not, reported lower levels of knowledge, higher levels of rape myth acceptance, and less rape empathy. However, the SAIT program was generally effective in changing men's knowledge, beliefs, and feelings on the key measures, regardless of participants' histories of coercive sexual behavior.
Rau
Terri J
TJ
Research, Development, and Performance Management, Navy Fleet and Family Support Program, Navy Installations Command, Millington Detachment, 5720 Integrity Drive, Millington, TN 38055-6510, USA.
Merrill
Lex L
LL
McWhorter
Stephanie K
SK
Stander
Valerie A
VA
Thomsen
Cynthia J
CJ
Dyslin
Christopher W
CW
Crouch
Julie L
JL
Rabenhorst
Mandy M
MM
Milner
Joel S
JS
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000523:psychology*; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000458:organization & administration*; D015397:Program Evaluation / Q000379:methods*; D012742:Sex Offenses / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D014481:United States; D055815:Young Adult