RISE Intervention: A Practice-based Intervention to address HIV & Violence against Women

HIV prevention research continues to highlight the intersection between HIV and violence against women. However, relevant interventions based on these research findings are not readily available. This has resulted in community-based organizations lacking gender specific approaches to adequately address HIV prevention among women experiencing violence.

The RISE intervention is the first of its kind in that it applies black feminist theory in all aspects of program design, implementation, and evaluation as a way to provide HIV prevention education in a format and context that is relevant to female survivors of violence. RISE Champions and RISE Advocates participate in sensitivity training regarding the need for and approach to integrating HIV prevention into existing client service models.

Results: Select 2009-10 program results include: (1) trained 19 HIV prevention educators as “RISE Champions” to serve as the frontline staff for integrating HIV prevention into domestic violence and related settings; (2) engaged 11 domestic violence and women-centered health agencies as collaborative partners for integrating HIV services into existing service provision; (3) provided technical assistance for 18 domestic violence service providers and women-centered providers to advocate for the RISE program within their agencies serving as RISE Advocates: (4) implemented 16 Healthy Love Party group-level HIV prevention interventions; (5) engaged 117 female survivors of intimate partner violence in group-level HIV prevention education sessions; (6) engaged 57 female survivors of intimate partner violence in individual-level HIV prevention education sessions; and (7) linked 35 female survivors of intimate partner violence to HIV testing and counseling services at SisterLove.