The power of resistance: How decades of feminist knowledge and skill led to an effective sexual assault resistance program for young women

Professor Charlene Senn

2nd February 5-6pm, La Trobe City Campus room 2.11 or Zoom.

In this talk I will contextualize the Flip the Script with EAAATM sexual assault resistance program I developed (and resistance more generally) within the broader work of feminist movements including grassroots women’s self-defence organizations since the 1970s. I will explain what the program covers and accomplishes for individual women as well as discussing how the program challenges rape culture. I will conclude with my next steps and a few of the questions that remain unresolved empirically and for our movements if we are to end sexual violence.

About Dr Charlene Senn

Dr Senn is the Canada Research Chair in Sexual Violence and a Professor in the Applied Social Psychology Graduate Program within the Department of Psychology at the University of Windsor, with a cross-appointment in Women’s and Gender Studies. Her research centres on male violence against women with a focus on sexual violence and campus interventions.

Over more than 10 years, Dr Senn developed and evaluated a sexual assault resistance education program (EAAA) for first year University women. The efficacy of this intervention was demonstrated in a CIHR-funded randomized controlled trial (2011-2015) in which the one-year incidence of completed rape was reduced by almost 50% in women who took the intervention compared to those in the control group. In another CIHR-funded study (2016-2021), the effectiveness of the program was recently confirmed when it was implemented by universities. Research and development continue with adaptations for younger girls, for trans students, and in French.

The EAAA / Flip the Script Program is being delivered and evaluated at Monash, La Trobe and ANU in 2023.

This talk is presented by LAVAWN, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion at Monash University and the Judith Lumley Centre.