Education and Prevention Program

To request more information about classroom education, or to schedule a presentation, please contact the Prevention team, at prevention@dvsas.org.

The Empowerment Project

The Empowerment Project is a comprehensive sexual and domestic violence prevention program for 6th- 12th grade students. Over the course of 3 days, this relationship violence prevention course covers a range of topics related to setting boundaries, recognizing healthy/unhealthy relationship dynamics, and supporting their community to end violence. Several sessions of the Empowerment Project are intended to be co-facilitated by a trained Teen Peer Advocate.

Educators are welcome to mix and match sessions to fit the needs of their classroom. There are three possible sessions, as outlined below.

Unless otherwise requested, the Empowerment Project for 6-12th grade will include the following sessions:

1. Boundaries & Consent

2. Healthy, Unhealthy, & Abusive

3. Support and Accountability

The Empowerment Project for Middle School Students

High School Empowerment Project Curriculum

The Digital Empowerment Project for High Schoolers was designed to be done by students at their own pace, without teacher instruction. The Digital EP consists of 4 parts- 2 instructional videos (18 minutes and 10 minutes) and two engaging activities, designed to solidify the information provided in the videos. There are also supplemental handouts, discussion questions for teachers, and an optional discussion guide for parents. Please contact Shoshana Bass, Prevention Education Specialist, at sbass@dvsas.org, if you intend to use the Digital Empowerment Project.

Prevention Education Online

DVSAS also offers a number of presentations and trainings numerous topics related to domestic violence and sexual assault. These presentations and training are available to a broad array of audiences- K-12 classrooms, colleges and universities, professional programs, community partners, and more. DVSAS has provided presentations to contemporary adult life classes, home economics classes, criminal justice classes, computer literacy classes, early childhood education programs, and RN programs. 

Past training topics include:

• DVSAS Services Overview/Making Referrals to DVSAS
• Domestic Violence Screening Techniques
• Supporting Survivors of Violence in Medical Care Settings
• Bystander Intervention
• Strategies for Helping Domestic Violence Survivors

For more information on how to schedule a training or presentation, please email Shoshana Bass, Prevention Education Specialist.

The mission of Teens Against Abuse is to prevent and reduce instances of domestic violence and sexual assault by providing inclusive education, outreach, and advocacy for the teens of Whatcom County, by the teens of Whatcom County.

Peer Education and Advocacy