Introduction
Guidelines for Implementation of Connecticut General Statute Sec. 17a-101q
Statewide K-12 Sexual Assault & Abuse Prevention & Awareness Program Guidelines
This document offers guidance to assist local education agencies in response to Connecticut General Statute Sec. 17a-101q A Statewide Sexual Abuse and Assault Awareness Program. This statute directs the Department of Children and Families (DCF) in collaboration with the Connecticut State Department of Education (SDE) and Connecticut Alliance to End Sexual Violence (The Alliance - formerly CONNSACS) to develop a statewide sexual assault and abuse prevention and awareness program to be implemented in all local and regional school districts in Connecticut by October 1, 2016 (see Appendix A for the statutory language). To assist schools in meeting these requirements, this document will provide an overview of sexual violence, recommendations for: delivering effective professional development, identifying developmentally- and age-appropriate awareness and prevention educational materials for students, policy guidance and suggested resources.
The document includes the following sections:
Section 1: Overview of Sexual Violence
Section one articulates the rationale for engaging students, parents and schools in the prevention and awareness of sexual abuse and assault, including national and state statistics, definitions, common misconceptions and a brief discussion on primary prevention strategies.
Section 2: Implementation & Teaching Considerations
Section two provides recommendations for implementing sexual assault and abuse awareness and prevention programs as required by Connecticut General Statute Sec. 17a-101q.
Section 3: Sexual Assault & Abuse Awareness & Prevention Curriculum Framework
Section three provides a framework to assist school districts in identifying or writing developmentally- and age- appropriate curricula and other educational materials designed for students in grades kindergarten to 12. This framework supplements the Connecticut State Department of Education’s Guidelines for the Sexual Health Education Component of Comprehensive Health Education
Section 4: Policy Guidance
Section four provides policy recommendations for receiving sexual abuse and assault disclosures and reporting procedures.
Section 5: Recommended Resources
This section contains national and state resources that may be used for professional development, curriculum and policy development, and programs and services.