Impact Summary
Almost 2,000 Marion County students and residents participated in Marion County CARe Initiative programming in the past year. Leadership skills, decision-making skills, communication skills, development of respect for oneself and for others as well as rape and sexual assault prevention education and awareness are just some of the ways that Marion County students benefited.

Issue
In Indiana alone, nearly 2,000 rapes were reported in 1998. In Marion County, the same year, 598 rapes were reported. 80% of all rapes are never reported, according to the National Crime Victims Research Center. Based on this finding, the true data for Marion County rapes exceeds 2,500 each year. The issue of rape and sexual assault, particularly among youth, is more widespread than the statistics reflect and is something that affects all of us.

What Was Done
The Marion County CARe Initiative has developed a variety of programs to reach children and youth with the ultimate goal of decreasing sexual violence among Marion County youth. These programs include:

• Project Equality rape/sexual assault prevention curriculum
• Project Equality anti-bullying curriculum
• Project Equality curriculum training for individuals and organizations
• Center of Hope for Youth (COHY) rape and sexual assault prevention programming (IRB Approval #03-5102X)
• Good Touch Bad Touch (GTBT) body safety and empowerment presentation
• "Discovery Time" After School program, a safe, educational environment using Project Equality-based curriculum
• Youth/Adult Advisory Board an equal partnership between youth and adults making a difference related to youth rape/sexual assault and child sexual abuse

As research proves that repeated programs are more effective than one time presentations, Project Equality groups have broadened in popularity throughout Indianapolis. Project Equality rape/sexual assault prevention curriculum assists students in developing leadership skills, communication skills and decision-making skills while Project Equality anti-bullying curriculum assists students in developing respect for oneself and for others. These eight week interactive sessions are facilitated by a Program Assistant trained in Project Equality curriculum, familiar with inner city students' challenges and needs and exceptional in developing a rapport with students as well as creating a safe environment to discuss difficult issues.

Impact
In the past year, almost 2,000 students benefited from Project Equality curriculum while 600 Marion County residents benefited from other Marion County CARe Initiative programming. The impact is evidenced through participant quotations:

"Today I learned much more about rape. Not so much learned but understood more. Statistics are outrageous. I never knew so many rape crimes were being committed." Coleman Academy Student

"I think every minute of this program was needed because I know several rape victims that would've loved hearing something like this when they were my age." Northwest High School Student

"I think this is a good program and well worth the effort. It will help young people to open their eyes and be more conscious of the things going on around them." Coleman Academy Student

"I didn't know the percentages were so high." Southport M.S. Student

"I thought this was good learning material. I learned a lot of new things." Concord Neighborhood Center participant

Other quotations include: "I was involved in a case at another school and had to testify at a hearing in which the defendant ended up pleading guilty. Jodi [Kelly, Director of Victim Assistance, Marion County Sheriff's Department] received a letter from the prosecuting attorney stating that she believed if it had not been for our program this particular child would still be a prisoner of sexual abuse." (Judy Oaks, Marion County Sheriff's Department) and "[The Center of Hope for Youth] presentation has been very effective in disseminating accurate information about rape and sexual assault. It has also been effective in changing some rape myths held by the participants." (Center for Families, Purdue University).

As the programs of CARe continue to grow and expand and as more and more students receive the same messages in a variety of manners, child sexual abuse will decrease; children who are being abused will not be prisoners of their situation for as long a period of time and more molesters will be punished. Rape and sexual assault will decrease, reporting and receiving help on the part of victims will increase and better understanding between males and females will increase.

The Marion County CARe Initiative is funded by the Indiana State Department of Health, CDC, Rape Prevention Education Grant and St. Paul's Episcopal Church.

Collaborators
In support of the mission of the Marion County CARe Initiative, community partnerships have developed involving the following organizations and individuals: Community Systemwide Response (a grassroots organization which gives residents a voice in the Marion County CARe Initiative and is present in the following areas: Far East Side, Mid-North, Perry Township and Central Northeast), Purdue Extension Marion County, Wishard Hospital, St. Francis Hospital, Marion County Prosecutor's Office, Marion County Sexual Assault Response Team, Indianapolis Police Department, Marion County Sheriff's Department, Inland Foundation, St. Paul's Episcopal Church, The Legacy House, Indianapolis Juvenile Correctional Facility, Area Youth Ministry, various MSD school systems, Indianapolis Public Schools, educators, youth, parents, and community leaders.