What is CARe?

The Communities Against Rape Initiative (CARe) is a statewide collaboration that facilitates and supports the development and implementation of programs/efforts to prevent sexual assault and rape of youth in communities across Indiana.

To achieve this task, partnerships were formed in 1997 between the Indiana State Department of Health, Purdue University Youth Development and Agricultural Education (formerly 4-H Youth Department), Indiana State University, Indiana Coalition Against Sexual Assault, Indiana Youth Institute and concerned communities throughout Indiana.

Methods

The people of Indiana united in many different ways to address the problems of sexual assault. Because it occurs among all ethnic groups and income levels, children and adults, males and females, family members and strangers, our methods must be unique and diverse.

Installing data collection systems and equipment to record incidents of sexual assault in Indiana.
Developing and testing both in-school and community-based educational prevention programs.
Developing and conducting sexual assault prevention activities on college campuses across the state.
Informing the public about the problem with a statewide media campaign.
Empowering young people to address the problem locally and to participate in the first statewide electronic youth speak out.
Providing professional-level training for sexual assault service providers.
Sponsoring a statewide panel of experts and a youth advisory council to report to the governor on sexual assault in Indiana.

Funding

Three types of community grants are at work in 48counties. Renewal grants support projects already in progress. Implementation grants help counties take action on preapproved community plans. Planning grants aid counties in creating community-wide prevention processes. All 92 Indiana counties have gathered data on sexual assault and rape.