Funding Area: Health
The Southeast Missouri Network Against Sexual Violence (SEMO-NASV) was formed in 1997 to serve as a first-response agency to provide timely, compassionate, coordinated care for child and adult survivors of sexual violence. Because sexual violence has long-term and far-reaching effects on adults and children, SEMO-NASV offers advocacy, counseling and forensic care for all survivors of sexual violence in southeast Missouri.
The Southeast Missouri Network Against Sexual Violence seeks to be an advocate for those affected by sexual trauma through the coordination of community services to provide professional, compassionate and timely interventions and education.
Projects We Support
The Green Bear Project Program Evaluation
SEMO-NASV provides several programs for kids and adults to help recognize abuse, learn when to report and how, and much more through The Green Bear Project. These programs allow us to take new steps in stopping abuse before it has a chance to manifest.
The Green Bear Program is a 30 minute program created for students in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade, which teaches students primary child abuse prevention. Parents are encouraged to attend this program with their children so they can talk with their children about what was learned during our class time.
Primary abuse prevention is a very important part of our class; we discuss secrets vs. surprises, never accepting gifts without the permission of the person in charge, prevention of abduction situations, inherent dangers, etc.
Younger children (preschool through second grade) participate in a puppet show with Green Bear or his sister, Tiffy Bear. First and second grade students are also read a story about Meagan or Joey, two young characters who were touched where they did not want to be touched and received help. Older children, instead of the puppet show, complete age-appropriate fun books that discuss primary sexual abuse prevention.
While The Green Bear Project has grown over the last 20 plus years, educating just 500 students and adults in it’s first year to nearly 30,000 in the 2023-2024 school year, the program has never been thoroughly evaluated to determine its effectiveness. This project proposes to use University of Missouri’s Assessment Resource Center (ARC) to provide formal program evaluation of The Green Bear Project’s programming for pre-kindergarten through 12th grade students.
Support Dates: March, 2025 – Ongoing
Note: This information was provided by Southeast Missouri Network Against Sexual Violence.
