Reaching Campuses Across Iowa and Beyond

UNI's Center for Violence Prevention provides leadership and technical support services for bullying and gender violence prevention

The goal and mission of UNI’s Center for Violence Prevention (CVP) is to serve Iowa's pre-K through 12 schools, colleges and universities and their respective community partners by providing bullying and gender violence training and prevention programming, including a bystander approach, to student leaders, educators and community stakeholders. The center seeks to build capacity for sustainable prevention work that creates safer homes, schools and communities across Iowa.

On Sept. 28, 2015, the Governor’s Office for Bullying Prevention was established within the center. While specific federal laws have increased accountability and disclosures of sexual assaults on college campuses, learning needs to be communicated and shared with pre-K through 12 leaders to help prevent the violence and abuse. Secondary schools have lagged behind in solidifying efforts to raise awareness and infuse education in curriculum and practice.

To date, UNI's center has worked with approximately 40 Iowa high schools in addressing bullying and gender violence in schools and communities utilizing a multi-systemic, prevention approach. This is reaching approximately 10 percent of the total Iowa student population.

Collaborating with the Iowa High School Athletic Association and the Iowa Coalition Against Sexual Violence, the center's goal is to reach over 5,000 high school male athletes - eliciting their leadership and influence to support healthy, nonviolent relationships among peer groups. This year, the center will support Mentors in Violence Prevention Student Leadership Summits in Sioux City, Cedar Falls, Des Moines, Cedar Rapids and Marshalltown, educating over 1,500 high school students as mentors in preventing bullying, harassment and violence.

The center is also actively engaged in training and supporting violence prevention programming and initiatives with partners in Iowa's colleges and universities. To date, this ongoing work has involved the three Regents' universities, five of the 15 community colleges, and 18 of the 38 private, four-year colleges.