GatorWell Health Promotion Services has revamped its anti-interpersonal violence group.
STRIVE, Sexual Trauma/Interpersonal Violence Education, was initially under the UF’s Counseling & Wellness Center but is now run by GatorWell.
Julia Rae Varnes, GatorWell health promotion specialist, said STRIVE will be releasing new sexual assault prevention videos, conducting presentations and creating a new logo to raise awareness and educate students about rape prevention techniques.
Maureen Miller, director of GatorWell, said she has been working with Gainesville Police Capt. Lynne Benck.
Benck formed a committee last summer that includes University Police, Santa Fe College and the UF Office of Victim Services.
Miller said the committee identifies strategies to address alcohol-related sexual assaults among students. The committee created its first public-service-announcement videos displaying examples of positive bystander behavior.
The first video highlights a male in the bystander role, and the second video shows two females sharing the same role. The clips show an intoxicated woman at a party being harassed by a man who is being persistent about taking her home.
Miller said the committee collaborated with the UF College of Journalism and Communications to produce the two videos, hoping it will encourage students to step in when needed.
She said STRIVE’s intensive plan will make the organization a more recognizable resource available to students on campus and make sexual-assault prevention part of a broader discussion in the community.
This summer, STRIVE researched programs at other universities across the country to come up with a three-year plan of short-term and long-term goals, Miller said.
A version of this story ran on page 4 on 10/7/2013 under the headline "Anti-violence group to release sexual assault prevention PSA"
