 Written by: Jennifer F Tofaeono, Ex Director
The American Samoa Alliance Against Domestic & Sexual Violence is proud to announce that, effective July 1, 2025, the Alliance has once again received funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to continue our work under the Rape Prevention and Education (RPE) program. This grant allows us to strengthen prevention efforts, expand community education, and provide support for survivors of sexual violence throughout American Samoa. What the RPE Grant SupportsThe CDC’s RPE program is designed to stop sexual violence before it happens by funding evidence-based prevention strategies, community education, and partnerships that build safer environments. In American Samoa, the Alliance uses this funding to:
Planned Activities: July 2025 – June 2026With this year’s funding, the Alliance is excited to announce several major initiatives: 1. RPE Partners Fair We will host a Rape Prevention Education Partners Fair in collaboration with the Office of Violence Against Women’s Sexual Assault and SASP-funded activities. The fair will bring organizations together to strengthen partnerships, promote services, and give the community an opportunity to learn which agencies provide support for rape prevention and sexual assault. 2. Sexual Assault Conference TrainingThe Alliance will also host a Sexual Assault Conference in partnership with SASP-funded activities. This training will help victims, advocates, and community members strengthen their ability to navigate advocacy and support survivors. Key sessions will include:
3. Talanoa Sessions with Underserved CommunitiesWe will continue our Talanoa Sessions with communities whose voices are often underrepresented — including Fa’afafine, women and youth ages 18–28, and ethnic and national origin minorities in American Samoa. These dialogues will allow participants to share experiences with sexual violence, existing prevention resources, and barriers to accessing support. The feedback will help guide the development of tailored prevention strategies that meet the unique needs of each community. 4. Community Outreach DiscussionsThe Alliance will host three outreach community discussions to focus specifically on sexual assault and rape in vulnerable communities. These conversations will create safe spaces for dialogue and awareness, while strengthening connections to prevention and support services. 5. Training for State Health Department Staff We will provide training sessions for state health department staff on:
Looking AheadThe continuation of the RPE grant provides a critical opportunity to expand prevention efforts, deepen community engagement, and support survivors. By working together with partners and aligning efforts with existing OVW Sexual Assault Services Program activities, the Alliance is committed to building stronger networks of prevention and advocacy. We invite the community to join us in these events, participate in Talanoa sessions, and follow our journey throughout the year. Together, we can build a stronger, safer American Samoa.
0 Comments
Written by: Jennifer F Tofaeono, Ex Dir
Prevention in Focus: Lessons from the RPE National DialogSeptember 2025 Newsletter | American Samoa At this year’s CDC Rape Prevention and Education (RPE) National Dialog, participants gathered to share lessons, strengthen partnerships, and prepare for the future of prevention. The heart of the session was the small group discussions, where advocates and prevention leaders dug into eight key topic areas shaping the next chapter of sexual violence prevention. Eight Key Topics in Prevention: Lessons Learned
Funding and Sustainability Moving Forward: CDC representatives shared both the challenges and opportunities ahead. While prevention programs continue to face budget cuts and staffing shortages, there is also momentum in the President’s budget proposal for renewed funding in intimate partner and sexual violence prevention. The message was clear: prevention leaders must continue to advocate for sustained, flexible funding while also strengthening systems for data collection and reporting to show impact. Sustainability depends not only on resources, but also on strong partnerships and a commitment to equity. Closing Reflection: For the Alliance, this year’s Dialog was both affirming and motivating. We are grateful to share that the Alliance has once again been funded through the CDC’s RPE program, giving us the resources to continue our prevention work here in American Samoa. Over the next year, we will be carefully reviewing our scope of work to ensure we meet our grant requirements, while also engaging our community in meaningful, equity-driven prevention efforts. Prevention is not just about compliance — it is about creating safer, healthier, and more connected communities. We invite you to follow us throughout the next year as we share updates, celebrate milestones, and continue the work of ending sexual violence in American Samoa.  Written by: Jennifer F. Tofaeono, MBA
The American Samoa Alliance Against Domestic & Sexual Violence is proud to announce the continuation of the CDC Rape Prevention and Education (RPE) Program beginning July 1, 2025. This vital initiative will support a suite of sexual violence prevention strategies across American Samoa, grounded in community voice, cultural wisdom, and data-driven planning. The RPE program enhances our community’s capacity to prevent sexual violence through a public health approach. It centers equity, trauma-informed care, and community collaboration as essential pathways to reduce risk factors and promote protective environments. Key Initiatives for 2025–20261. Talanoa Sessions: Listening to Underserved Voices Our Talanoa Sessions will continue into the new fiscal year, focusing specifically on underserved communities such as Fa’afafine youth, low-income families, individuals with disabilities, and outer island residents. These sessions gather input on lived experiences with sexual violence and highlight service gaps, cultural barriers, and opportunities for prevention. Community voices will guide our strategies and ensure cultural and linguistic relevance. "We don’t talk about it because it brings shame to our family. But if we stay silent, nothing will change." – Talanoa Participant, Leone "I thought I was the only one. Hearing others share helped me realize I wasn’t alone." – Talanoa Participant, Fagatogo "There needs to be more help out here for people like us. We’re too far from town to feel seen." – Talanoa Participant, Manu’a 2. RPE Partners Fair (Fall 2025)We will host the first-ever Sexual Violence RPE Partners Fair to bring together stakeholders from health care, law enforcement, education, non-profits, and village leadership. The fair will:
4. Training State Health Department StaffThe Alliance will partner with the Department of Health to train public health professionals on:
Long-Term ImpactThese projects align with our RPE Logic Model goals to:
We thank the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and our local partners for their continued trust. Together, we are weaving a future where prevention is not just a program—but a way of life. To get involved in any of the above activities, contact us at: Alliance: 684-699-0272 or via email: [email protected], or [email protected] Visit: www.asalliance.co  Written by: Jennifer F Tofaeono, Ex Director
n American Samoa, our cultural values of fa’aaloalo (respect) and alofa (love) teach us to care for one another. These values remind us to protect the most vulnerable members of our community. Talking about sexual violence and rape can be difficult, but it is an important conversation we must continue to have. At the American Samoa Alliance Against Domestic & Sexual Violence, we work to prevent sexual violence before it happens. One of the ways we do this is through the support of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Rape Prevention and Education (RPE) Program. What is the CDC RPE Program?The CDC RPE Program provides funding to states and territories like American Samoa to support sexual violence prevention efforts. The goal is to stop violence before it starts by promoting safe, respectful relationships and strengthening protective community norms. Through this program, we offer prevention education, community outreach, and awareness campaigns that focus on changing the attitudes and behaviors that contribute to sexual violence. Our activities include working with schools, youth groups, churches, and families to promote healthy communication, consent, and safety. Delays and Changes at the National Level Over the past few years, the RPE Program experienced delays and changes at the federal level, especially during the Trump Administration. Shifts in national funding priorities affected the timing of grants for many RPE programs across the United States and its territories, including American Samoa. As a result, our local RPE activities were temporarily put on hold. This delay was not due to actions taken here in American Samoa, but rather the result of decisions made at the federal level regarding how and when funding was distributed. Continuing the Conversation in Our CommunityEven with the funding delays, our commitment to prevention has not stopped. During this time, we continued engaging with the community, especially focusing on conversations with men about their role in preventing sexual violence. We held dialogue sessions with men from different villages and community groups to talk openly about sexual assault, rape, and prevention education. These conversations were meaningful and provided valuable insight into how men and boys in American Samoa view their role in stopping violence. We are pleased to announce that we will be sharing the findings from these discussions in the coming month. These findings will help shape our future prevention strategies and ensure that our programs remain culturally relevant and effective. The Future of RPE in American Samoa. We have been informed that American Samoa will begin receiving CDC RPE funding again by July 2025. This means we will soon resume full implementation of our prevention programs. Once the funding arrives, we will re-launch a variety of activities including:
A Call to Support Our Upcoming ProjectsWe ask our community members to stay connected with us. Please look out for announcements about our upcoming programs and events. Your involvement makes a difference. By working together, we can build safer families, stronger villages, and a healthier American Samoa where everyone feels valued and protected. For more information or to get involved, please contact: American Samoa Alliance Against Domestic & Sexual Violence Phone: (684) 699-0272 Website: www.asalliance.co  Written by: Jennifer F. Tofaeono, Executive Dir
The American Samoa Alliance Against Domestic & Sexual Violence is proud to continue its work through the CDC’s Rape Prevention and Education (RPE) Program. This critical initiative is designed to stop sexual violence before it occurs—by addressing the root causes of rape, promoting healthy relationships, and advancing primary prevention strategies tailored to our unique cultural context. It has been an honor to continue our work thru the CDC Rape Prevention & Education (RPE) Program. The critical purpose of the grant is to stop sexual violence BEFORE it happens. Thru our work we unpack conversations about the root causes of rape, we encourage promoting healthy relationships and advancing primary prevention strategies through the project to stop sexual violence before it happens. All these approaches are designed to meet the needs of native Samoan indigenous people, and other Pasifika Islanders (i.e. Fijian, Tongan, Maori, etc) who reside in American Samoa. At its core, the RPE Program supports community-based prevention, working with indigenous Samoan youth, families, educators, and community leaders to reshape attitudes and beliefs surrounding sexual assault. In American Samoa, the Alliance integrates Fa’aSamoa values—such as fa’aaloalo (respect), alofa (compassion), and tautua (service)—into all educational efforts to ensure messages are both culturally grounded and transformative. Through surveys, interviews, and focus groups, we continue to learn from our community about their views on sexual assault. These conversations reveal important insights: many still find it difficult to talk openly about rape, and some are unsure of how to support survivors or prevent harm. This feedback shapes the work we do. For example, we are developing more youth-centered workshops and increasing outreach through schools and churches, where trusted relationships can help break the silence and promote change. The RPE Program also emphasizes the importance of bystander intervention, consent education, and the prevention of dating violence. These tools empower individuals to recognize unsafe situations, speak up, and support one another. Prevention education does not only protect future victims—it fosters a culture of safety, accountability, and healing. By listening to our community and building prevention rooted in both research and tradition, we can shift harmful norms and reduce the risk of sexual violence in our homes, schools, and villages. As we move forward, the Alliance remains committed to raising awareness, building resilience, and advancing healing through education. Let us continue this work together, guided by the Word—spoken with truth, shared with purpose, and lived through action. If you are interested in participating in a survey, interview, or focus group to share your voice and help shape our prevention efforts, we welcome your input. Please contact our Communications Department or Executive Director Jennifer Tofaeono at (684) 699-0272. Our office is open Monday through Thursday from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Join us in creating a safer American Samoa for all.  Written by: Jennifer Tofaeono, Chat AI
Since October the Alliance Team has been talking with members of the community, and service providers to gather feedback o n health equity and rape prevention education in American Samoa. What we have so far uncovered has provided us some interesting insights, where respondents provided information on challenges and strengths in our ability to address these critical issues in our island. In this article we share some of the key findings from participants who shared their insights regarding health equity, and the availability of healthcare services through Medicaid and outreach programs offering free vaccines and flu shots. However, equity remains a concern, particularly for immigrant residents who face higher healthcare costs. Cultural norms, such as prioritizing elders over individuals with urgent medical needs, and language barriers further complicate equitable access. For example, non-Samoan-speaking patients struggle to communicate effectively with medical professionals, leading to misdiagnoses and inadequate care. Language barriers were repeatedly emphasized as a significant obstacle to accessing healthcare and understanding medical procedures. Additionally, cultural practices often discourage victims of sexual violence from seeking help due to fear of family embarrassment and societal stigma. These challenges perpetuate silence and unaddressed trauma, particularly in cases of incest or intimate partner violence. When asked what their knowledge was of Rape Prevention Education in the Territory, they underscored the need for enhanced rape prevention education within the community. Suggestions included incorporating comprehensive sex education in schools and churches, focusing on consent, safe sex practices, and recognizing signs of sexual assault. Participants emphasized the importance of community awareness campaigns to dismantle misconceptions about sex education, such as the belief that it encourages sexual activity. Cultural norms and generational attitudes were identified as barriers to victims seeking support. Despite the availability of resources, victims often face fear and shame that prevent them from accessing help. Workshops addressing mental health and substance abuse were noted as effective but insufficient; participants called for more programs to build community understanding and resilience. Partners advocated for stronger partnerships between the hospital, law enforcement, and community organizations to enhance rape prevention and support services. The need for training first responders—police, medical personnel, and community leaders—was highlighted to ensure sensitive handling of cases and comprehensive support for victims. Schools, churches, and community groups were identified as critical venues for hosting workshops and raising awareness about rape prevention. Actionable Recommendations-- (please note these are preliminary discussions)
 Written by: Luana Scanlan
The Alliance’s Rape Prevention Education (RPE) Program aims to give people knowledge and skills to prevent sexual violence and provide support to those who may have experienced it in their lives. Sexual violence includes, rape, the threat of rape, attempted rape, sexual harassment, sexual coercion and forced sexual contact. Anyone can be a victim or violator regardless of age, gender, sexuality, ethnicity or ability. Preventing sexual violence requires that we not make assumptions or generalizations about people in our community – our ethnic, church, work, family, friend, and home communities. Each person experiences and thinks about sexual behavior in unique ways. Do not assume. Do not think everyone of a specific gender, religion, ethnicity, etc. is the same. You can practice three behaviors to prevent sexual violence, which means making sure that it never happens in the first place. 1. CONSENT - Maliega e Auai A person gives consent when he/she/they feel free to say how they really feel about something, and without feeling pressured into doing something that they don’t want to do. There are three times in particular, where people may not have the ability to provide consent:
4 steps to consent First, understand what you are comfortable with. Second, ask the person you are with the same thing. It’s best to have direct conversations so that there’s no room for confusion. It can be simple questions like, ‘Are you okay with kissing?’, or ‘Do you feel safe in our being together like this?’ Third, understand what you are comfortable with. Fourth, practice your ‘yes’ and your ‘no’ to build confidence in standing up for what you want. Listening is an important part of consent. When listening be aware of body language as well as what is being said out loud. If someone is saying 'Maybe', 'I’m not sure', starts backing away, is staying really still or being silent they are not saying yes - they are not giving consent. Consent may look and sound like: · Yes! · I really want to... · I want you/this/that · This feels right · I’m okay with this/that Sex without consent is sexual violence…Someone staying silent or saying maybe is not consent. 2. RESPECT – Fa’aaloalo Respect can look different in all the different relationships that we have. First and foremost is respect for yourself – your rights, values, safety. Respect also means never forcing, pressuring or guilting someone into doing something they don’t want to do. Asking for consent is respectful. 3. SUPPORT - Lagolago People heal from sexual violence in different ways and at different speeds. For some people sometimes it is about getting through one day at a time. Supporting those at risk will prevent violence from happening in the first place. Finally, preventing sexual violence involves reporting what you see and experience in ways that you feel do not put you in harm’s way.  Written by: Luana Scanlan
How the Alliance is Developing Primary Prevention for Our Community Connecting with the community is the Alliance’s main strategy for all of its prevention efforts. ‘Connecting’ involves showing up to our partners’ events, building relationships that support our mutual goals, and above all . . . listening. With purpose and authenticity In this process of connecting, we come to understand shared risk and protective factors of violence in all its forms. While the root cause of violence may be power of one over another, there are, as we have learned from our community members, many factors that shape what power looks like and how it is wielded. These factors include one’s culture, level of education and worldly experience, social status, one’s values and how one is raised as a child, among many others. Community connectedness is a shared protective factor that could have a broad impact on violence in the community. One form of violence, for example, bullying, can increase families’ and individuals’ risk for domestic violence. A community that has a zero-tolerance for violence, whose members watch out for each other, and who step in to protect potential victims can help the Alliance to develop services and strategies that would have the widest impact. In our interviews with community members, we have learned that while violence has no boundaries, there are ‘hot spots’ in some villages. These areas are described as “poor”, “young parents on drugs”, “druggies living in rented houses”, and sadly, the victims are primarily the children. While the village around them functions, these areas are known to the community and avoided. These individuals and their community are dis-connected. Preventing violence involves engagement through communication, not avoidance. And a key principle of this approach is cultural competency. Knowing the situation, it is important to connect through communication within the context of the unique views, values, and ways of doing things in a community. Listening to the community is how we learn to communicate in a culturally competent way. Simply translating education materials into a different language does not constitute a culturally appropriate or relevant strategy as it does not address the different ways communities talk and think about violence. Nor does it reach those who need the help the most. Every intervention the Alliance implements involves connecting with the community by . . .
 Written by: Luana Yoshikawa-Scanlan, CDC RPE
Rape culture is the normalization and justification of sexual violence in a community. Social norms - beliefs, values, and attitudes - minimize the impact of sexual violence. In many cases the responsibility is placed on the victim, and those vulnerable to sexual violence, to ‘avoid’ situations where they may be sexually violated. In response to a person being raped or sexually assaulted you may hear things like “She asked for it” or “He’s a guy – she should have known better”. This victim blaming approach is the fuel that drives social norms that perpetuate rape culture. Placing blame and responsibility for someone else’s (the rapist) actions on the victim prevents society from holding the rapist accountable. Stigma is then associated with the victim – weakness, sexual object, ‘loose’ and immoral instead of the act of rape itself. You may hear or see messages in the media and from parents or teachers that advise girls not to walk alone at night, not to wear ‘revealing’ clothes, not to flirt or ‘party’ and ‘lead boys on’. Not, not, not…focusing on the possible victim’s behavior instead of the possible perpetrator. Girls are told ‘don’t get raped’ whereas the message should be ‘don’t rape.’ According to the Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network (RAINN), approximately 96% of those who sexually abuse children are male. 90% of rape victims are female. In the U.S., 433,648 Americans aged 12 and older were sexually assaulted or raped between 2010-2014[1]. Yet rape is one of the least prosecuted crimes in the U.S.:
The Centers of Disease Control (CDC) provides support for the primary prevention of rape and sexual violence. Following the social-ecological model, prevention activities address the complex interrelated root causes of rape culture and sexual violence at every level of society. These activities include supporting working parents with safe and affordable childcare, establishing school and workplace policies that promote social norms to protect people against sexual violence, empowering vulnerable individuals with opportunities to learn protective skills. As we’ll see in next month’s article, rape culture negatively impacts us all – especially our youth. [1] Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Crime Victimization Survey, 2010-2014 (2015) [2] Kingi, V., Jordan, J. et al., (2009). Responding to sexual violence: pathways to recovery. Univ. of Wellington Crime & Justice Research Center. www.library.nvfvc.org.nz [3]https://www.thehivelaw.com/blog/how-many-rapists-are-convicted/#:~:text=~3%2C258%20rapists%20are%20convicted%20per,per%20year%20in%20the%20US.  Written by Luana Yoshikawa-Scanlan, CDC RPE Project Manager, PRIME Consultant;
Assessing Rape Prevention in our community begins with understanding what it is, and what it is not. The typical public health approach is to define a ‘problem’, identify ‘risk and protective factors’, develop ‘prevention strategies’, and reach out to the public using these strategies to raise awareness and educate people on how to avoid the problem. Primary prevention focuses on changing the underlying causes of the problem rather than the problem itself. In other words, while critical, information like sexual violence prevalence, skills to reduce risk of being victimized, availability of victim services do not prevent the acts of sexual violence. Primary prevention aims to ‘eliminate and reduce factors’ that enable sexual violence and keep it from happening in the first place. An example of this is active bystander strategies. An active bystander is aware of a situation that may lead to sexual violence and takes action to ensure the violence doesn’t happen. Outreach, awareness, and education aim to reduce individual risk and increase community support for victims/survivors. These approaches address the possibility (risk factors) of, or aftereffects of violence (personal experiences, beliefs). Primary prevention, on the other hand, addresses health and social inequities that fuel the social norms that contribute to violence. The line between primary prevention and the outreach-awareness-education work we do in the community is often blurred and ambiguous. However, this line is what differentiates RPE Primary Prevention: a world without sexual violence. Working from this perspective changes our approach to the outreach-awareness-education. From ‘addressing’ the problem to eradicating the roots of the problem. For example, educating people on how to be healthy, non-violent individuals; learning skills to improve individual wellbeing. As the Alliance prepares to engage the community in discussions about rape prevention and sexual violence, we are developing discussion questions that aim at the roots of those problems. After all, you cannot solve a problem that you don’t understand, or worse – don’t acknowledge. We encourage people to join upcoming community talanoa and online surveys to share knowledge, experiences, and ideas. Photo from CDC Violence Prevention site: https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/about/publichealthapproach.html |
|
|
OUR LOCATIONS
Tafuna |
Nu'uuli |
This website is supported by Grant Number 2401ASSDVC from the Family Violence Prevention Services Administration (FVPSA) within the Administration for Children and Families, a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Violence against Women (OVW) Grant # 15JOVW-22-GG-00862-MUMU and # 15JOVW-23-GG--02782, and Centers for Disease Rape Prevention Education (CDCRPE) include the grant # 24NVR1C#002281. Neither the Administration for Children and Families, Office of Violence against Women, or Centers for Disease & Control nor any of its components operate, control, are responsible for, or necessarily endorse this website (including, without limitation, its content, technical infrastructure, and policies, and any services or tools provided). The opinions, findings, conclusions, and recommendations expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Administration for Children and Families and the [ACF Office/Program], Office of Violence against Women, and Centers for Disease & Control.