What is the BEST Comprehensive Approach to Campus Sexual Violence?
The BEST (Be Equal Safe & Trustworthy) Comprehensive Approach to Campus Sexual Violence is an innovative and comprehensive program addressing sexual violence and sexual misconduct on campus. BEST integrates proven primary prevention strategies, restorative practices, and student-informed methodologies, leveraging the combined capabilities of students, faculty and staff, and community stakeholders to create a campus culture and environment that promotes the core values of Inherent Dignity and Belonging, Wholeness, Collective Care, and Responsibility to Others - during the college experience and beyond.
BEST PROGRAM COMPONENTS
MAP offers a variety of tools and supports to campuses and student groups, including:
BEST Party Model - A resource providing athletic teams, fraternities and sororities, and other influential student groups with tools and strategies for reimagining and shaping party culture and environment. This 8-week program targets high risk environments (parties and other social events) for sexual violence, engaging student leaders and other influential student groups in community-building and making grassroots, student-driven changes to campus life and culture. Includes an 8-week curriculum and Student Facilitator Training.
BEST Alternative Restorative Program - An alternative educational program aimed at helping respondents (both students and faculty): identify the attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors that led them to cause harm; take responsibility for the harm they caused; modify their choices and actions so they do not cause this harm again.
First Year-Orientation Workshops - Providing incoming students with foundational knowledge and skill-building opportunities for navigating and shaping safe social environments.
BEST Housing (Off-Campus and Residence Hall) Training - Supporting resident assistants and students eligible for off-campus housing to recognize and reduce risk for sexual violence, and to use their leadership and influence to shape community norms and change physical spaces to be safer for all.
Institutional Training and Technical Assistance - Supporting school administrators, coaches, and staff in developing and implementing effective, campus-specific programming that will help provide the campus experience all students want and deserve.
Campus Awareness and Promotional Events - Campus-specific events aimed at increasing student capacity to be change-makers and leaders on campus.
Click here to take use the BEST Campus Inventory Tool to find out which BEST program is best for your campus.