Prevention Education Virtually Addresses Student Realities
Aug. 5, 2021
“It’s hard to hear the words harassment, rape, sexual assault, etc., but you made us feel like we’re important and gave us a safe environment to be in—even if it was through a screen.”
– JUNIOR AT JOHN HANCOCK HIGH SCHOOL
When Chicago schools reopened for the 2020-2021 academic year in an entirely virtual format, families and students across the city faced many challenges. We were unsure if CAASE would be allowed to facilitate our Prevention Education programs remotely, but we prepared to anyway. Our efforts paid off, and our uncertainty was quickly quelled when an interesting side effect of online learning emerged: CAASE’s complete, 5-session program was in high demand. Our school partners were much more eager to sign up for our Empowering Youth to End Sexual Exploitation curriculum over single-session workshops, and we were ready to rise to the occasion.
Our Educators didn’t skip a beat when the announcement came that we could resume programming in a live, virtual format. There were some learning curves along the way, but one thing is certain: the quality and fidelity of our programs did not suffer in this new format. In fact, CAASE received glowing reviews from teachers and students alike. Our longest-running school partner, Lake View High School, said our Empowering Youth sessions were the best virtual program they’ve seen in the entirety of their teaching career.
School staff we worked with in the past referred their peers to CAASE. Those recommendations resulted in two new partnerships. At George Washington High School, we were invited to implement additional single sessions after word spread amongst teachers about the success of our Empowering Youth curriculum in other classrooms. Despite the challenges of virtual learning and record-low student attendance for Chicago Public Schools, CAASE still reached 2,947 teens.
The effects on students are apparent:
“Because of what I’ve learned, I will be more aware of casual acts of rape culture around me and more prepared to stand against it,” a junior said at the end of the program. A senior from Instituto Health Science Career Academy echoed these sentiments and reflected, “You’ve inspired me to educate others about the prevention of sexual assault and rape culture.”
“You’ve inspired me to educate others about the prevention of sexual assault and rape culture.”
– SENIOR AT INSTITUTO HEALTH SCIENCE CAREER ACADEMY
We also received a warm reception from Educators, who noted the Prevention Education team’s ability to address heavy topics in a digestible and actionable manner. “I was very impressed with CAASE’s programming,” one teacher said. “The lessons were designed in accessible ways for students to participate in their comfort level. Also, Ryan was a very welcoming and consistent facilitator.”
As we walk through COVID’s shifting landscape, we’re moving forward with these experiences and embracing our ability to adapt to the needs of students. Anti-violence organizations’ support hotlines have seen a rise in calls and texts during the pandemic, so we know that many young people are at home with the very issues we address in our courses. Now more than ever, our goal is to support youth with resources and equip them with the tools to disrupt sexual harm.
View our one-page prevention impact report for the 2020-2021 academic year here.
CAASE’s Prevention Education programs wouldn’t be possible without the generous support of our community. Joining the Race for CAASE Team is a great way to get involved and help empower teens to end sexual harm. Plus, every dollar raised will be matched by the Greer Foundation!
This piece was authored by Shalini Mirpuri, with input from KT Hawbaker. It was edited by Hayley Forrestal. Learn more about our Prevention Education programs here.
