Peer-led Approaches to Gender-based Violence Prevention Education in Higher Education: Insights from the Rights, Relationships and Respect Program.

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Bibliographic Details
Title:	Peer-led Approaches to Gender-based Violence Prevention Education in Higher Education: Insights from the Rights, Relationships and Respect Program.
Authors:	Gadow, Friederike¹ friederike.gadow@anu.edu.au, Robertson, Hannah¹, Rossner, Meredith¹
Source:	Journal of the Australian & New Zealand Student Services Association. 2026, Vol. 34 Issue 1, p56-75. 20p.
Subject Terms:	Higher education, Interpersonal relations, *Peer teaching, Gender-based violence, Sexual consent, Bystander involvement, Cultural competence, Restorative justice
Abstract:	As Australian universities prepare for the introduction of the National Higher Education Code to Prevent and Respond to Gender-based Violence, there is a pressing need to move beyond compliance-driven approaches toward models that embed prevention in campus culture and practice. This article examines a peer-led, dialogic, and restorative model of gender-based violence (GBV) prevention education through a case study of the Rights, Relationships and Respect program. Piloted across three residential communities, the program combined an online module with a series of co-designed, peer-facilitated workshops focused on consent, respectful relationships, and bystander intervention. Drawing on a mixed-methods evaluation, the paper explores student engagement, learning outcomes, and implications for scaling and adaptation. Findings highlight that participatory and relational approaches can foster critical consciousness, practical skill building, and trust in peer support, particularly when embedded within inclusive residential cultures. However, challenges emerged around sustaining engagement, navigating cultural and linguistic diversity, and balancing institutional mandates with the conditions necessary for transformative learning. The credibility of peer facilitators, adaptive design, and co-design processes were key enablers, while enforcement mechanisms and abstract theoretical frameworks limited student participation. We argue that dialogic and restorative approaches must be relationally grounded, culturally responsive, and institutionally supported to achieve transformative impact. This case study offers valuable insights for universities in the context of current legislative reform. Effective prevention requires more than standardised programs; it demands reflexive, participatory, and values-based pedagogy embedded in community life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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Database:	Education Research Complete

Description
Abstract:	As Australian universities prepare for the introduction of the National Higher Education Code to Prevent and Respond to Gender-based Violence, there is a pressing need to move beyond compliance-driven approaches toward models that embed prevention in campus culture and practice. This article examines a peer-led, dialogic, and restorative model of gender-based violence (GBV) prevention education through a case study of the Rights, Relationships and Respect program. Piloted across three residential communities, the program combined an online module with a series of co-designed, peer-facilitated workshops focused on consent, respectful relationships, and bystander intervention. Drawing on a mixed-methods evaluation, the paper explores student engagement, learning outcomes, and implications for scaling and adaptation. Findings highlight that participatory and relational approaches can foster critical consciousness, practical skill building, and trust in peer support, particularly when embedded within inclusive residential cultures. However, challenges emerged around sustaining engagement, navigating cultural and linguistic diversity, and balancing institutional mandates with the conditions necessary for transformative learning. The credibility of peer facilitators, adaptive design, and co-design processes were key enablers, while enforcement mechanisms and abstract theoretical frameworks limited student participation. We argue that dialogic and restorative approaches must be relationally grounded, culturally responsive, and institutionally supported to achieve transformative impact. This case study offers valuable insights for universities in the context of current legislative reform. Effective prevention requires more than standardised programs; it demands reflexive, participatory, and values-based pedagogy embedded in community life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
ISSN:	13202480
DOI:	10.30688/janzssa.2026-1-13