Joanna Hunter, Radford University, works with the Women’s Resource Center of the New River Valley in Radford, VA, which runs a sexual assault prevention program. ASA asked Hunter about that work:
What is the mission of the organization? The Women’s Resource Center provides a wide range of services to the community including a 24/7 crisis phone line, a shelter, and a wide range of educational opportunities.
Could you describe your work with Women’s Resource Center? The Peaceline Plus curriculum was developed and authored by the WRC. The program consists of a series of lessons that are used in 6th through 10th grade in local schools. The Program in Public Sociology at Radford University launched the Center for Social and Cultural Research (CSCR) in 2012, and the CSCR evaluates the efficacy of that program through pre- and post-test surveys in two ways.
First, we use short knowledge tests at the beginning and end of each individual lesson to assess knowledge gained. Second, we use longer attitude scales at the beginning and end of two lesson plan arcs in the junior high grades and the high school grades. Students are tested in the 6th and 9th grade to assess their baseline attitudes about using aggression to solve interpersonal problems, stereotypes of women, attitudes toward couple’s violence and then are tested again in the 8th and 10th grades to assess their change in attitudes over time.
What sociological knowledge and/or skills did you use? Dr. Jeanne Mekolichick, Director of the Program in Applied and Public Sociology from 2011-2014, was the original consultant on the project beginning in 2012 and selected CDC-published scales, developed and designed the surveys. Now that the instruments are well established, I use statistical and data-management skills to compile and collect data as well as basic academic skills to produce annual reports.
How did you connect with the Women’s Resource Center? The CSCR, under Dr. Mekolichick’s direction, began consulting with the WRC to evaluate their primary sexual assault prevention program in 2012 with support from the Verizon Foundation to purchase Scantron equipment and software. I joined the faculty at Radford in 2013 and became the primary investigator/consultant in late 2014 and continued in that role until May 2018. The WRC remains a client of the CSCR, now directed by Dr. Allison Wisecup, who currently serves as PI.
Is there anything else you would like to share about this project? The CSCR is staffed entirely by undergraduate research assistants. We do not have a graduate program. I currently supervise three undergraduate interns who do the bulk of the day-to-day management of the project.
