Teen relationship abuse is a pervasive issue among our country’s youth, indiscriminate of socioeconomic status, location, race, ethnicity, religion, gender identity, and sexual orientation. Across the nation, one in three teenagers (approximately 1.5 million high school students per year) experience abuse from a dating partner or friend. Alarmingly, only one in three of these teens actually tell someone about the abuse they’re experiencing. The impacts of teen relationship abuse can affect individuals and communities long after the abuse stops.

Rising Ground’s Early Relationship Abuse Prevention Program (Early RAPP) is committed to reducing these numbers and empowering the youth of New York City to lead lives free from relationship abuse.

Mission

Early RAPP strives to stop Teen Relationship Abuse before it starts by educating New York City Youth on the warning signs of unhealthy relationships and how to promote healthy ones.

Vision

Early RAPP envisions a cultural shift towards consent, safety, and respect, and a NYC free from the trauma of Teen Relationship Abuse.

Values

Whether in the classroom or the community at large, we value compassion, authenticity, and wellness in everything that we do.

How does Early RAPP work?

The Early Relationship Abuse Prevention Program at STEPS provides free and interactive prevention education to 64 DOE Public Middle Schools serving 6th-8th grade around New York City. At Early RAPP, we value evidence-based, trauma-informed, and compassionate prevention education for youth as they begin to explore different types of relationships.

Using a healthy relationship training model, Community Educators facilitate workshops for students, parents, school staff, and community members. We also offer workshops to community-based organizations and service providers around New York City. In addition to this work, we connect students and families to critical support services and counseling.

The Early RAPP team at STEPS consists of eight Community Educators, each of whom serves eight schools, which are geographically clustered to maximize time in every school. We have schools in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and The Bronx. This model allows our Community Educators to get to know each school community, and provide individualized services based on a given school’s needs and priorities.

What kinds of workshops are offered?

Throughout our core workshops, we facilitate critical conversations with both youth and adults about:

• Teen Relationship Abuse
• Consent and Boundaries
• Sexual Harassment vs. Flirting
• Healthy Relationships

We also offer supplemental workshops following the four-part core series including:

• Gender Roles
• Gender Identity and Sexuality
• Homophobia and Transphobia
• Power, Privilege, and Oppression
• Puberty and All About The Body
• Self Care
• Bullying Prevention
• Tech Abuse and Digital Safety
• Conflict Resolution and Healthy Communication
• & more!

Become an Early RAPP school

Early RAPP is currently looking to bring on several public middle schools (non-charter) in Queens, and two in Upper Manhattan and The Bronx. If you are interested in learning more about Early RAPP or bringing our program to your school, reach out to the Early RAPP Supervisor, Danielle Naghi, LMSW at DNaghi@risingground.org

Early RAPP is a part of Rising Ground’s holistic program of services for victims of gender-based violence with a focus on prevention, intervention, and policy advocacy.