Initially developed in 2012, Haven officially launched in the fall of 2013. EverFi’s team of instructional designers worked with national subject matter experts to build the prevention curriculum and align with federal training mandates. EverFi created Haven with the intention of educating students at institutions of higher education through an interactive and engaging online course. The program is framed positively, in order to reach the majority of students who have healthy attitudes and behaviors around relationships. Students are encouraged to consider what healthy relationships and a positive campus culture looks like, and are given concrete strategies to take action at their school. Each year, EverFi relies on feedback from partners, students, legislators, and subject matter experts to iterate upon the course. In 2015, EverFi convened a Sexual Assault Advisory Council comprised of VAWA negotiated rulemakers and national campus prevention experts to further align the course with prevention best practice and expanding legislation. EverFi continues to monitor legislation and analyze feedback to improve the course content and student experience each year.

Haven was built using a public health framework called Intervention Mapping which entails establishing goals in key course domains and developing content based on the determinants of the planned behavioral outcomes. Determinants span multiple theoretical models including the Theory of Planned Behavior, Theory of Reasoned Action, Transtheoretical Model, Social Norms Theory, and the Health Belief Model.

The content and design of Haven is based on what research literature has identified as the most effective pedagogical strategies and theoretical approaches for reaching, teaching, and engaging students about sexual assault prevention. Many of these methodologies have their own research base. Haven content · Comprehensive breadth and depth · Based on public health and education theory · Positive message framing · Highlighting personal relevance · Developmentally/cognitively appropriate · Skill-building exercises; practice opportunities · Empathy-building and survivor support · Risk-reduction strategies · Discussion of gender socialization/roles Haven delivery · Reinforcement/expansion of previous material with new information · Interactive and engaging · Targeted and adaptive · Varied teaching methods · Appropriately-timed implementation, prior to period of highest risk · Use of formative, process, and outcome evaluation Haven employs bystander intervention and social norms approaches throughout the program. The research literature impresses that norms are critical in influencing perpetrator (and bystander) behavior. Research also demonstrates that a vast majority of students (both male and female) exhibit positive/healthy attitudes and behaviors on this issue. In Haven, we appeal to this positive majority to be more active in contributing to a healthy environment.

Knowing that, statistically, many students will enter college having already experienced a sexual assault, the Haven course was specifically designed to address the issue from a trauma-informed lens. Woven throughout the Haven course, scenarios referring to sexual assault always place accountability on the perpetrator, and deliberately highlight the use of survivor-centered language. This is also echoed through bystander intervention scenarios where students learn how they can support a friend who may have experienced a sexual assault. The Haven course was developed and strongly influenced by the input of professionals with an expertise in advocacy and survivor support. Focus groups and participatory development were done with individuals working directly with survivors and, in some cases, survivors themselves, to ensure that the language, scenarios, and content of the course accurately convey the sensitivity and weight of these issue. From the very beginning of the course, care is taken to introduce the topic so that survivors can be aware of the content that will be covered. Additionally, throughout the course, a quick "exit" button, and information about on- and off-campus resources are also available for students to utilize in the event that they wish to seek out support or more information.

In order to comply with the reauthorized VAWA amendments to the Clery Act, EverFi conducted a full review of Haven in 2014. In addition to an internal review, EverFi hosted a committee of prevention thought leaders and legal experts from around the country, including three members of the VAWA rulemaking committee, to provide feedback and recommendations for improved compliance. Haven complies with the requirements of VAWA through content and partner customizations, including institution-specific policies, state-specific definitions of key terms, interactive bystander intervention scenarios, and resources for ongoing prevention.

To ensure compliance with Title IX, EverFi's team of lawyers regularly monitors legislation, consults with leading subject matter experts, and continuously iterates upon the course based on partner feedback and suggestions. Haven extensively addresses sex- and gender-based harassment and violence through definitions, engaging activities, and institution-specific policies. It is essential that students who have experienced or have been accused of sexual violence are aware of their options, rights, and available resources. Haven covers reporting and investigative procedures (both institutional and criminal), including how to file a report and to whom, what the process looks like, and possible outcomes. Institutions may embed their Title IX Coordinator’s contact information directly into the course.

A recent investigation evaluated the impact of Haven on students’ self-reported attitudes, sense of self-efficacy, and behavioral intentions. This analysis has been drafted into a manuscript and submitted for peer review. Principal components analysis showed that the 20-Likert style survey questions employed in the pre-intervention survey grouped into four larger constructs that explained over 50% of the total variance in students responses: Intervention Ability and Intent, Empathy and Support for Victims, Perceptions of Social Norms, and Sexual Assault Myths. These factors were used to create composite scores, each with high internal consistency, that served as dependent measures to assess the impact of Haven as a population-level sexual assault prevention program. At baseline, students varied greatly in their intent and perceived ability to intervene to prevent sexual assault, and all students believed that they were more likely than their peers to intervene. Pre- to post-intervention analysis showed that Haven had the largest impact on the Intervention Ability and Intent and Perceptions of Social Norms factors, as reflected in the large number of colleges that saw statistically significant improvements and the effect sizes of those differences. These findings are especially noteworthy given the extensive literature that has focused on how misperceptions of social norms and low self-efficacy prevent college students from intervening to stop sexual assault and relationship violence. Further, more than half of the colleges also saw small, but significant increases in the Empathy and Support for Victims factor. Note, however, that students reported higher levels of desirable responses to questions associated with this factor before entering the course, and so they had less room for positive change in response to the intervention. This set of findings aligns closely with results found in similar investigations of sexual assault prevention programming, those focused on bystander intervention instruction in particular (Coker et al., 2014; Coker et al., 2015; Banyard, Moynihan, & Plante, 2007), and those that combine such instruction with corrective normative feedback (Gidycz et al., 2011; Salazar et al., 2014). Emerging evidence suggests that the combination is particularly effective since misperceptions of peers’ bystander intentions and support often create significant barriers to intervening (Gidycz et al., 2011).

An efficacy manuscript for Haven has been submitted for peer review and is currently being considered for publication.

The pricing for EverFi's student catalog of prevention/compliance trainings is based on full-time student enrollment and is inclusive of implementation tools/resources, data platform, and basic customization options.

The deployment timeline varies by institution.

EverFi customers are provided with a dedicated representative from EverFi’s Customer Success team. This team is a group of experienced professionals who have worked with a wide range of institutions to support implementation, provide access to the administrative platform, share template communications and customization guidance, and help administrators understand progress and impact data insights. Campus administrators can track training and other learning events, and access progress reports, through EverFi’s web-based administrative dashboard. This platform is available 24/7 and serves as a central location for implementation tools, customization, and institutional data. Administrators will have access to real time completion data with the capability of sending reminder notifications to specific groups of students. Data can be exported into Microsoft Excel format (e.g. .xls) or comma separated values (CSV) format, both of which can be imported to analytics software packages (e.g. SPSS) for further analysis. EverFi also provides 24x7 technical support both online and via a toll-free number. Online options include email and chat. Students can reach this support line at any time, day or night, thus freeing administrators from emails and questions. Students can also access EverFi’s Technical Support Center via a “Help” link. Additionally, students can browse a knowledge base for self-help. EverFi’s technical support system includes an issue reporting process, including case tracking and an escalation process.

EverFi trainings have been published in 8 peer-reviewed efficacy studies and have received several prestigious awards include a Gold Stevie for Best Training Site and a NASPA Gold award.

EverFi trainings are in place at over 1,300 institutions nationwide, including some of the top colleges and universities in the country: Auburn University, Babson College, Bentley College, Boston College, Bucknell University, California State University – Fresno, Carnegie Mellon University, College of Charleston, Dartmouth University, Dickinson College, Fairfield University, Frostburg State University, Gettysburg College, Iowa State University, James Madison University, Johnson & Wales University, Loyola University of Chicago, Marquette University, Miami University of Ohio, Murray State University, North Carolina State University, Northwestern University, Ohio University, Oklahoma State University, Rice University, San Jose State University, St. Ambrose University, Stonehill College, Tarleton State University, Texas Tech University, Towson University, University at Buffalo, University of Alaska, University of Chicago, University of Delaware, University of Georgia, University of Kentucky, University of Michigan, University of Minnesota, University of North Carolina, University of Notre Dame, University of South Carolina, University of South Florida, University of Texas, University of Utah, University of Virginia, Villanova University, Wake Forest University, West Virginia University, and Winston Salem State University.

EverFi also offers climate surveys, comprehensive campus prevention assessments, research publications, webinars, annual conference, and professional development trainings.