This series of modules is designed to ensure staff members have sufficient understanding of violence against women (VAW) issues before building skills in other areas. Within the series, we suggest that concepts around power, rights and culture are covered in trainings before violence against women is addressed directly. In our experience, that order sets participants up best to have the background knowledge to get the most out of the sessions on violence against women.

Note: Many modules are included for download in PDF. Some modules are still in the process of being field tested by Raising Voices, and are not yet available for download. However, the draft modules are available for use—and we welcome feedback! Simply email info@raisingvoices.org to request modules.

Phase	Module	Objective(s)	Links
Start	Culture and VAW--What is the connection?	Explore practical and positive ways to talk about tradition and culture in discussions of women's rights and violence against women.	Download
Start	SASA! Start 1.1- Understanding Power	Stimulate participants’ focus on the word “start”. Introduce the concept of “power within”. Explore the meaning of power. Identify the four types of power. Identify the conditions when we feel we have power. Identify the conditions when we feel we lack power. Guide participants in experiencing the feeling of being powerless. Explore who in communities is typically encouraged to use more power.	Download
Start	SASA! Start 1.2 - Power and Human Rights	Raise participants’ awareness of how power has shaped our lives and experiences. Demonstrate how women and men experience human rights differently. Explore the implications of injustice. Raise awareness regarding the meaning of activism.	Download
Start	SASA! Start 1.3 - Violence against Women: The Basics	Guide participants in understanding the types of violence against women. Demonstrate the relationship between violence against women and power and control. Identify and examine the effects of violence. Expose the interconnection between violence against women and HIV/AIDS.	Download
Start	SASA! Start 1.4 - HIV/ AIDS: The Basics	Guide participants in understanding the basic facts about HIV and AIDS. Distinguish between the facts and myths of HIV/ AIDS. Establish the group’s knowledge about HIV transmission and about women’s social and biological vulnerability to HIV. Examine the obstacles to accessing information about HIV/AIDS. Review the concept of fostering the power within ourselves to become activists. (Optional) Explain the role of the immune system and its relationship with HIV and AIDS.	Download
Start	SASA! Awareness 2.1 - Understanding Power Imbalances	Stimulate participants’ focus on awareness. Introduce the concept of power in relation to raising awareness. Create an immediate experience of one group having power over another. Highlight similarities between this simulation exercise and life in our communities. Demonstrate how men’s power over women is the root cause of violence against women.	Download
Start	SASA! Awareness 2.2 - Why Power Imbalance Exists	Explore social expectations of girls and women, boys and men and how they contribute to an imbalance of power. Experience men’s power over women. Experience the consequences of community silence. (Optional) Explore the power dynamics in the community.	Download
Start	SASA! Awareness 2.3 - Connecting Power, Violence and HIV	Explore the power dynamic in intimate relationships. Guide participants in understanding how violence against women and HIV and AIDS are connected. Recognize how women’s lives are limited because of the threat of violence.	Download
Start	SASA! Start Prep 3 - Power Up! Using the SASA content	Guide participants in understanding the four types of power in SASA! Link SASA! phases to the four types of power. Practice methods for building community members’ understanding of the types of power.	Download
Start	SASA! Start Prep 4 - Getting Started	Examine our own fears and hesitancy in addressing the connection between violence against women and HIV/AIDS. Demonstrate the need to address the connection between violence against women and HIV/AIDS. Review the basic principles of SASA!	Download
Start	Boundaries around SASA! issues: Focusing Discussions	Understand what issues are and are not addressed in SASA!	Request a copy