About Our Office
Frequently Asked Questions
The Sexual Assault Prevention & Education Center coordinates sexual assault prevention and education programming to student organizations, university staff and faculty, as well as students in classes at the University of Kansas. SAPEC provides over 500 evidence based educational programs to KU students, staff, and faculty annually.
SAPEC’s programming model is grounded in primary prevention, emphasizing efforts to change attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors before violence occurs. SAPEC utilizes the Levels of Prevention framework to guide its work. Primary prevention includes activities designed to prevent perpetration or victimization before harm occurs. Secondary prevention encompasses immediate responses following an incident to address acute consequences, while Tertiary prevention focuses on long-term interventions aimed at mitigating lasting impacts and reducing recidivism.
The majority of SAPEC’s practice is through educational programs. We frame theses programs as providing knowledge acquisition, with measurable change, via extended exposure, in a set population of students. An example of this would be our Jayhawks Give a Flock, bystander intervention, program. Although awareness campaigns and outreach activities, such as Sexual Assault Awareness Month events, remain important components of SAPEC’s overall strategy, these efforts are not considered prevention interventions in themselves.
SAPEC is a dedicated prevention office focused on primary prevention efforts. While SAPEC does not hold a confidential designation within The University, it collaborates closely with confidential campus and community advocacy programs that provide support through secondary and tertiary interventions.
A list of our Educational Programs can be found on Our Programs page.
The University of Kansas (KU) is not immune to the challenges of sexual and intimate partner violence experienced by other institutions of higher education. In 2014, student activism highlighted concerns regarding the university’s response to sexual assault and its lack of prevention initiatives. In response, former Chancellor Bernadette Gray-Little convened the Chancellor’s Sexual Assault Task Force. The task force produced twenty-seven recommendations aimed at improving both institutional response and prevention capacity. One of the central recommendations called for the creation of a dedicated office for coordinating sexual violence prevention and education efforts across campus. Per this recommendation, the Sexual Assault Prevention and Education Center (SAPEC), opened on January 20, 2016.
SAPEC is situated within Student Affairs and receives financial support from both Student Affairs and Student Senate. Because SAPEC emerged directly from student advocacy efforts, student engagement remains central to its mission and operational philosophy. Guided by the principle of “nothing for us without us,” SAPEC incorporates student input and review into the development of programs, educational materials, and prevention initiatives.
SAPEC's approach enables the implementation of comprehensive, developmentally appropriate interventions throughout a student’s university tenure. By prioritizing relationship-building and sustained engagement, SAPEC supports the development of thought leaders who reinforce prevention messages within their communities. Ultimately, the goal is not for SAPEC staff to be present in every campus space, but instead to cultivate a campus culture in which students and employees themselves assume ownership of prevention efforts and are empowered to apply prevention knowledge and skills within their communities.
Learn about who we are by visiting Our Staff page. Check out our pictures, read our bios, and find our contact information.
Information for New Jayhawks can be found on this page: Info for New Jayhawks.
If you are a parent or family member searching for more information, please visit this page: Info for Parents & Families.
Looking to Schedule an Educational Program for your Organization, Office, or Class? Learn more about available presentations and submit a presentation request.
Come stop by, meet us in our NEW location starting 1/28/2026 at the Dole Human Development Center, Suites 4088 and 4089.
Resources available on campus, in the Lawrence area, or nationally can be found on our Resources page.