A Preventionist’s Guide to the National Sexual Assault Conference®

The National Sexual Assault Conference® (NSAC), hosted this year by Respect Together, is just days away. Every August, thousands of prevention practitioners, researchers, evaluators, advocates, and partners come together to learn from one another and strengthen our collective work to prevent sexual violence. 

PreventConnect is here to help you get the most out of the conference. Sure it’s helpful to pack comfortable shoes, bring a portable phone charger, and remember your business cards, but getting the most out of NSAC is about more than what goes into your suitcase. 

This year’s theme is United in Purpose, Committed to Action, and a good reminder that the conference itself isn’t the actual destination. The greatest impact happens when the conversations, ideas, and relationships you build there continue to influence your work long after you’ve returned home. 

If you’re preparing to head to NSAC, here are a few questions and strategies to help you make the most of your experience before, during, and after the conference. 

Before You Go 

• What question are you hoping NSAC will help you answer?

There is a ton of information shared at a conference like NSAC and it can feel overwhelming trying to remember it all. Instead of trying to learn everything, try identifying one question you’d like the conference to help you answer. 

Maybe you’re wondering how other communities are approaching a challenge you’re facing, how organizations are evaluating their prevention efforts, or what strategies people are using to sustain their work. Having one guiding question in mind can help you notice connections across sessions, plenaries and conversations you might otherwise miss. 

• What perspectives do you want to hear? 

Don’t limit yourself to sessions exploring only your current area(s) of focus. NSAC offers many opportunities to challenge and expand the way we think about sexual violence and prevention. Hearing from presenters from different communities, roles, or even disciplines can help us see our work in new and exciting ways. Sometimes the most valuable ideas come from sessions that weren’t originally on your must-attend list. 

• What would make this conference most meaningful to you? 

When you get home, what do you hope you’ll be able to say about your conference experience? A meaningful conference doesn’t necessarily mean you went to the greatest number of sessions, but it could mean you found a new idea worth trying, you met someone doing similar work, you discovered a new resource, or you left feeling energized about prevention again. 

While You’re There

• What patterns are you noticing? 

NSAC is often a place where different people begin pointing toward similar ideas. Listen for patterns across sessions, plenaries, and hallway conversations. When the same ideas keep surfacing in different spaces, take note. They may point to emerging practices, shared challenges, or opportunities for collaboration that you can continue exploring beyond the conference. 

• What do I want Future Me to remember? 

It’s easy to leave a conference with pages of notes and dozens of photos of presentation slides that never get another look. Rather than trying to capture all the details from the sessions you attend, try writing down one idea, one quote, one resource, one person to follow up with, or one action you’d like to try after each session. You’ll go home with a list that is much more manageable and you will probably be more likely to return to it. 

Before You Leave

• What’s one thing I’ll do in the 2 weeks following the conference?

Before heading home, identify one concrete action that you can take as a next step. The excitement of the conference can quickly fade once every day responsibilities return, but one meaningful action can be really powerful. Here are some ideas:

• Share a resource with your colleagues
• Follow up with a new connection you met
• Continue exploring a question or theme that emerged
• Schedule 30-minutes on your calendar to revisit your notes before your regular routine takes over 

PreventConnect at NSAC 

NSAC is a wonderful opportunity to learn from one another and imagine what’s possible. We hope you leave with new ideas, new relationships, and at least one action you’re excited to bring back to your prevention work. 

If you’re attending, we hope you’ll say hello! And if you can’t make it this year, follow PreventConnect on Instagram for conference highlights and reflections throughout the conference.