Close to Home Program for Preventing Sexual Violence

Age: < 65

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: University of California, San Diego

Disqualifiers: Under 14, Over 24

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: Unknown

953 Participants Needed

Trial Summary

What is the purpose of this trial?

Investigators propose to rigorously evaluate the Close to Home (C2H) model via a cluster-matched control trial across 18 diverse communities (9 C2H, 9 control) in California via collection and analyses of social network, school-based and social media data. Close to Home is a primary prevention community mobilization model implemented in 10 communities across California that engages community members across multiple sectors and social networks to strengthen community connections and shift social norms regarding sexual violence (SV), but has never been rigorously evaluated. C2H moves beyond criminal justice, lobbying, or school-based curricular approaches, taking a true community-level and community-led approach. This is a five-year project, funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for 3 years with competitive awards for years 4 and 5, and is conducted in partnership with the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and ValorUs (formerly CALCASA). The University of California, San Diego (UCSD) and CDPH partnership is uniquely poised to conduct the first rigorous evaluation of C2H in California at this time.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications.

What data supports the effectiveness of the Close to Home treatment for preventing sexual violence?

The research on collaboration with rural and remote communities shows that community-based interventions, like the Close to Home program, can improve services for sexual violence survivors by increasing knowledge, comfort, and teamwork among service providers. This suggests that similar community-focused approaches may be effective in preventing sexual violence. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

How does the Close to Home treatment for preventing sexual violence differ from other treatments?

The Close to Home treatment is unique because it focuses on community-based prevention strategies, engaging local stakeholders and tailoring interventions to specific community needs, rather than relying solely on traditional educational or law enforcement approaches. ^{6 7 8 9 10}

Research Team

Jay G Silverman, PhD

Principal Investigator

Tulane Center on Community-Engaged GBV Research

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for young people aged 14-24 who are involved with partner organizations or nominated by peers in those programs. It's designed to evaluate a community program aimed at preventing sexual violence by changing social norms and strengthening community ties.

Inclusion Criteria

Provide informed consent to participate

I am between 14 and 24 years old.

Must be enrolled in program with partner organization(s) or have been nominated by a peer enrolled in the partner programs

Exclusion Criteria

I am over 24 years old.

I am under 14 years old.

Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Baseline Data Collection

Collection of baseline social network, school-based, and social media data across 14 diverse California communities

6 months

Multiple visits for data collection

Intervention Implementation

Implementation of the Close to Home community mobilization model in selected communities

3 years

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for changes in social norms and incidence of sexual violence

24 months

Treatment Details

Interventions

• Close to Home

Trial Overview The 'Close to Home' (C2H) initiative, which is not a medical intervention but a community mobilization model aiming to prevent sexual violence through engagement across various sectors and networks, is being tested over five years in California.

Participant Groups

Group I: Close to Home Intervention Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Sites receiving the intervention arm were determined prior to the initiation of the research. The rape crisis center in each community applied for funding from the California Department of Public Health to implement the Close to Home model in their community and they were accepted via a competitive application process. Close to Home (C2H) is a community mobilization model developed in Boston and adapted for California and is specifically designed to prevent SV by strengthening community social connections and engaging whole communities in dialogue and action to transform social norms.

Group II: Control Program Active Control 1 Intervention

The control program is the 4-H Youth Development Program, which is implemented across every county in California via the University of California Cooperative Extension. In 4-H programs, kids and teens complete hands-on projects in areas like health, science, agriculture and civic engagement in a positive environment where they receive guidance from adult mentors and are encouraged to take on proactive leadership roles. The model does not use community mobilization and does not address sexual violence. Control communities were selected based on propensity score matching using sociodemographic and community-level variables related to risk for sexual violence. The closest match was recruited first, and a next-best match was used if the first match declined participation.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of California, San Diego

Lead Sponsor

Trials

1,215

Recruited

1,593,000+

4-H

Collaborator

Trials

1

Recruited

1,000+

Community Beyond Violence

Collaborator

Trials

1

Recruited

1,000+

Sierra Community House

Collaborator

Trials

1

Recruited

1,000+

Alliance for Community Transformations

Collaborator

Trials

1

Recruited

1,000+

Lumina Alliance

Collaborator

Trials

1

Recruited

1,000+

Strength United

Collaborator

Trials

1

Recruited

1,000+

Center for Community Solutions

Collaborator

Trials

1

Recruited

1,000+

California Department of Public Health

Collaborator

Trials

7

Recruited

5,800+

ValorUS

Collaborator

Trials

1

Recruited

1,000+

Findings from Research

A participatory action approach in five Canadian communities led to improved services for sexual assault survivors, addressing issues like staff shortages and negative responses to disclosure, which are common in rural areas.

The Enhanced Emergency Sexual Assault Services (EESAS) education program significantly increased knowledge and collaboration among service providers, resulting in better service quality and privacy for clients, with positive changes sustained for at least 6 months.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Collaboration with Rural and Remote Communities to Improve Sexual Assault Services. Carter-Snell, C., Jakubec, S., Hagen, B.[2021]

An educational program was developed to prevent sexual abuse of children, focusing on safety education and providing children with specific methods to avoid victimization, based on input from parents, teachers, and children.

The program includes essential topics like early detection of abuse, crisis management, and access to counseling, and has been distributed to all elementary schools through the Ministry of Education, indicating a broad commitment to child safety and health.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

[Development of the educational program for prevention of sexual abuse in children]. Lee, KH., Lee, JH., Bae, JY., et al.[2019]

References

1. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Improving care for victims: a study protocol of the evaluation of a centre for sexual and family violence. [2019]

2. Netherlands pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Collaboration with Rural and Remote Communities to Improve Sexual Assault Services. [2021]

3. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Sexual Assault of Women. [2021]

4. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Safety behaviors of abused women after an intervention during pregnancy. [2019]

5. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Assessing the care of doctors, nurses, and nursing technicians for people in situations of sexual violence in Brazil. [2021]

6. Korea (South) pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

[Development of the educational program for prevention of sexual abuse in children]. [2019]

7. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Rethinking Dating and SEXUAL Violence Prevention for Youth During the Pandemic: Examining Program Feasibility and Acceptability. [2023]

8. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Sexual and Relationship Violence Prevention Programming on Commuter Campuses: Wisdom From Students and Campus Personnel. [2022]

9. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A police-led community response to Child abuse and Youth Sexual Violence and Abuse in Indigenous communities in Far North Queensland: "Speak Up. Be strong. Be Heard." [2021]

10. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Researcher-Practitioner Partnerships to Implement and Evaluate Sexual and Relationship Violence Prevention Programs for Boys and Men. [2023]