This document is intended to begin the dialogue about what it means to move upstream. Over the past few
years — since CDC’s Injury Center became the administrator of the RPE program — we have been
asked repeatedly to define what we mean by “prevention.” How does prevention look, and where should recipients of RPE funds focus their efforts and resources? Our working definition of sexual violence
prevention for the RPE program is population-based and/or environmental and system-level strategies, policies, and actions that prevent sexual violence from initially occurring. Such prevention efforts work to modify and/or entirely eliminate the events, conditions, situations, or exposure to influences (risk factors)
that result in the initiation of sexual violence and associated injuries, disabilities, and deaths. Additionally, sexual violence prevention efforts address perpetration, victimization, and bystander attitudes and behaviors, and seek to identify and enhance protective factors that impede the initiation of sexual violence in at risk populations and in the community. (From the document). Continuing the dialogue, published in 2019 (#6403) builds on the foundations of the publication. Record #6404