Attachment K:
NISVS Redesign Paper Protocol – Round 1
INTRODUCTION
Thank you for taking the time to help us today. The session will take approximately an hour. I’ll give you a little background on what we’ll be doing today.
Westat is working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. We are developing a national survey about health and injuries that asks questions about physical injuries, harassing behaviors, and unwanted sexual activity and today we would like to test the survey with you. The survey asks about different types of these experiences that you may have had. We are particularly interested in whether the questions make sense to you, and we might ask you to talk about what happened during these experiences and how you decided on your answers to the survey questions based on those experiences. We would also like your feedback to make sure the survey is easy to understand and navigate and that the questions make sense to you.
Some of the language in the survey is explicit, but it is important that we ask the questions this way so that you are clear about what we mean. The questions we ask are detailed and some people may find them uncomfortable.
Today, I am going to ask you to go through the whole questionnaire as a survey respondent. I am going to observe you as you do this and will take a few notes as you go through the survey. Every now and then, I will stop you and we’ll talk about what you are seeing or how you decided on your answer to the question. If anything is confusing for you, or if you’re not sure how to answer a question or are unsure what to do next, just tell me. There are no right or wrong answers. Our purpose is not to compile information about you. Instead, your interview along with those of others will show us how to improve these questions for a later survey.
This is a research project and your participation is voluntary. You can skip any question and you can stop at any point. There are no known benefits for you to take part in this study, but your answers will help us improve the survey. There is a risk that some of the questions that we will ask you to talk about are about private and sensitive things that may bother you. If you become upset during the interview or want to stop the interview at any time, please let me know. I will provide you with a list of resources at the end of the interview that you can use to help you.
We would very much appreciate your permission to audio and video record this session. The recordings will be used for note-taking purposes only and may be used only by members of the project or the CDC staff. They will be destroyed as soon as we complete the questionnaire development process. You will receive $40 cash as a token of our appreciation at the end of the interview.
All information obtained during this study will be treated as confidential, as required by law, and will only be used to develop and improve the questionnaire. We will not share your answers with anyone outside of the research team. The one exception is that if you express that you are a danger to yourself or to others. If that happens, in order to help protect your safety and the safety of others, we would report this to the appropriate healthcare or law enforcement agencies.
Your answers to the questions will not be linked with your name and we will not use your name in any reports. We may use quotes in our report that you provide during the interview, but never in a way that would identify you.
[IF OBSERVERS ARE PRESENT] {Finally, some of the researchers developing the questions are here today observing our interview to learn if there are things that might need to be changed.}
INFORMED CONSENT
ASK PARTICIPANT TO REVIEW THE CONSENT FORM, ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, AND OBTAIN CONSENT BEFORE CONTINUING. This form contains more information about the research and your rights in this interview. Please read it over and let me know if you have any questions. (ANSWER QUESTIONS) If you are willing to take part in the study, please mark the Yes boxes. I will sign both copies. One copy is for you, and I will hold onto the other.
POINT TO THE LAST PARAGRAPH WITH CONTACT INFORMATION: Also, if you have any questions about this research study, you can contact David Cantor, the Principal Investigator. His phone number is provided here. If you have questions about your rights and welfare as a research participant, you can call the Westat Human Subjects Protections office. Their phone number is also provided on this form.
[START AUDIO AND VIDEO RECORDER AND GET ORAL PERMISSION TO RECORD.] It is [DATE AND TIME], do I have your permission to record this conversation? ~~~~Thank you.
Do you have any questions before we get started? I am going to hand you the questionnaire and will watch as you answer the questions. Every now and then we will stop to talk about the questions. Again, there are no right or wrong answers, we’re just interested in getting your feedback about the questions and how you came up with your answers.
Any time the respondent has issues with navigation or questions, record the question number and a few words about the problem on the Issue Log. Use the “Usability Probes” to determine what probes to ask about the issue.
[Interviewers will ask concurrent probes on the items listed below.]
The following questions are about health conditions you may have
Do you have….
Yes No
HC01 Frequent Headaches 1 2
HC02 Chronic Pain 1 2
HC03 Difficulty sleeping 1 2
HC04 Asthma 1 2
HC05 Irritable Bowel Syndrome or IBS 1 2
HC07 Any type of depression 1 2
HC06 Have you ever, even once, taken any prescription pain medicine (like OxyContin, Vicodin, Lortab, or Percocet) without a prescription or differently than how a doctor told you to use it?
1 Yes
2 No
HC08 Have you ever attempted suicide?
1 Yes
2 No
Were any of these questions uncomfortable for you to answer? (If so, which ones and what made them uncomfortable?) |
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Were any of these questions unclear for you to answer? (If so, which ones and what made them unclear or confusing?) |
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If you were filling this out at home, how would you feel about continuing with the survey after being asked these questions? |
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What do you think is meant by “any type of depression”? |
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Let’s look at the question “Have you ever, even once, taken any prescription pain medicine (like OxyContin, Vicodin, Lortab, or Percocet) without a prescription or differently than how a doctor told you to use it?” What types of situations do you think this is asking about? IF YES: What made you say “yes” to this question? |
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The last question I asked was if you have ever attempted suicide. How did you feel about being asked that question?
We’re trying to decide if we need to add a question before that which asks if you ever thought about suicide. Do you think we need to add that question? |
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The next set of questions asks about experiences that can directly impact your health or may have resulted in injury. These experiences may or may not have happened to you. There will be some questions about physical injuries, harassing behaviors, and unwanted sexual activity.
Remember, you don’t have to answer any question that you don’t want to. We suggest that you be in a private setting during the survey. If, at any time, you do not feel physically or emotionally safe, please stop taking the survey. If you think you are able to do it in a private setting or are emotionally safe, please return to complete it at a later time.
The first set of questions are about times in your life when someone may have ever given you unwanted attention by repeatedly contacting you, following you, or harassing you. When answering, please think about anyone who may have done these things to you, including strangers, a romantic or sexual partner,
a family member, a friend, teacher, co-worker or supervisor, or someone you have known briefly.
Please DO NOT include bill collectors, telephone solicitors, other sales people, or others following or contacting you as part of their job
Has anyone ever ….
Yes No
ST01 followed you around, watched, or spied on you when you did 1 2
did not want them to?
ST02 approached you or showed up in places, such as your home 1 2
Work, or school when you did not them to?
ST03 used technology, such as hidden cameras, computer software 1 2
apps, or GPS to monitor or track you location without your
permission? This includes GPS used in a phone or in social media,
such as Facebook.
This refers to times when you knew or you thought someone was
using GPS technology to monitor you
GPS is Global Positioning Tracking
ST04 sneaked onto your property, such as your home or car, and did 1 2
things to scare you by letting you know they had been there?
ST05 made unwanted phone calls, sent emails, voice, or text messages? 1 2
ST06 sent you unwanted messages through social media, such as 1 2
Facebook, Instagram, and chat rooms?
ST07 sent you cards, letters, flowers, or presents when they knew you 1 2
didn’t want them to?
ST07a Questions ST01 through ST07 asked if someone had had ever followed, contacted or harassed you. Did you mark “yes” to any of these questions (questions ST01 to ST07)?
1 Yes (Go to ST08)
2 No (Go to next section)
(REVIEW AFTER ALL HAVE BEEN ANSWERED) Let’s look back at each of these items. Were any of them confusing or unclear? |
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ASK FOR EACH YES RESPONSE: Can you tell me what made you say yes to this question? |
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ASK FOR UP TO 2 OR 3 ITEMS THAT WERE ANSWERED “NO” (STATE ITEM ALOUD FOR THE RECORDING): Can you tell me, in your own words, what types of situations you think this was asking about? |
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(ST07a) What about this last question. How did you come up with your answer? |
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ST08 Thinking about when you were contacted, followed or harassed. Did the same person ever do this on more than one occasion?
1 Yes (Go to ST09/10)
2 No (Go to next section)
What do you think this question is asking you? |
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(IF NONE) What do you think is meant by “on more than one occasion”? |
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(IF >0) How did you decide on your answer? |
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ST09/10 Think about the times when the same person repeatedly contacted, followed or harassed you on more than one occasion. At any of these times….:
- were you ever fearful or feel threatened or concerned for your safety or the safety
of others?
- did any of the people make threats to physically harm you?
Please include ALL the people who made threats to physically harm you EVEN if you did
not take the threat seriously or did not feel fearful, threatened, or concerned for your safety or the safety of others.
1 Yes
2 No (Go to next section)
What do you think this question is asking? |
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What do you think is meant by “fearful or feel threatened or concerned for your safety or the safety of others?” |
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(IF YES OR >0) We’d like to understand what types of people are being counted in this question. Can you tell me a little more about what happened to you? |
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For the following four questions, think about the times when someone repeatedly contacted, followed or harassed you and you felt threatened or there were threats to physically harm you.
ST12 How old were you when this first happened?
_____ years old
How did you come up with your answer? |
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(IF NOT ALREADY ASKED) What do you think is meant by ‘first happened”? |
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ST16 Did this happen within the last 12 months?
1 Yes
2 No
ST11 Did it ever happen with a romantic or sexual partner? This could be:
- a spouse or ex-spouse
- a romantic partner, significant other or fiancé
- an ex-romantic partner, ex-significant other or ex-fiancé
- a boyfriend/girlfriend or dating partner
- an ex-boyfriend/girlfriend or ex-dating partner
- someone I was having sex with
- my child’s other parent
1 Yes
2 No (Go to next section)
In your own words, how would you describe what this person’s connection to you was at that time? |
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(If ST11=Yes) Which, if any, of the relationships listed best describes the person’s connection to you at that time? |
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IF NEEDED: Were you were deciding whether these categories fit at all? If so, how did you decide how to answer? |
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What do you think we mean by a ‘romantic or sexual partner”? |
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ST11 How old were you when this first happened with a romantic or sexual partner?
______ years old
(IF NOT ALREADY ASKED) What do you think this question was asking? |
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How did you come up with your answer? |
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ST18 Did this happen with a romantic or sexual partner in the last 12 months?
1 Yes
2 No
End of Stalking Section
(IF R SAID THEY EXPERIENCED AT LEAST SOME OF THE BEHAVIORS IN ST01 – ST07) How easy or difficult was it to remember the details that we asked about? Could you say more why it was (easy/difficult)? |
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Before we move on to the next set of questions, do you have any final comments or reactions you can share with me about this set of questions? |
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The next questions are about when you may have experienced unwanted sexual situations with anyone, including strangers or someone you knew such as a romantic or sexual partner, a family member, a friend, teacher, co-worker or supervisor, or someone you have known for only a short time.
These questions are detailed and the language is explicit, which some people may find upsetting. It is important to ask the questions this way so that you understand what we mean. Your answers will help us to learn how often these things happen. You can skip questions you don’t want to answer and you can stop at any time.
First, I’m going to ask you about unwanted sexual situations, including verbal harassment and unwanted sexual touching.
In your lifetime, has anyone ….
Yes No
SC01 ..in your WORKPLACE made unwanted sexual remarks, 1 2
sexual jokes, or offensive comments about your body or
appearance? Please include people you have worked with or come
Into contact with through your job.
SC03 .. verbally harassed you in a sexual way in a PUBLIC place that made 1 2
you feel uncomfortable?
SC05 …kissed you in a sexual way when you did not want it to happen? 1 2
SC06 ..fondled, groped, grabbed or touched you in a sexual way when 1 2
you did not want it to happened?
SC06a Questions SC05 and SC06 asked if you had ever experienced verbal harassment or unwanted sexual touching. Did you mark “yes” to either of these questions (questions SC06 or SC06?
1 Yes (Go to SC08)
2 No (Go to next section)
SC01: What do you think of when you see the word “workplace”? |
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SCO1: What do you think is meant by “Please include people you work with or come into contact with through your job.” |
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SC01: We’re hoping to understand how people interpret the idea of something happening in a workplace. So I’m going to ask you a few different situations to see what you think. In your opinion is this question asking about situations when someone from a workplace did or said something outside of the workplace? Like if you were at a happy hour with co-workers, or if you were at an offsite meeting or worksite? |
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SC01: Do you think this would include situations when someone who doesn’t work in your workplace did something while at your workplace? Like if a friend or boyfriend or a co-worker’s friend or boyfriend came to visit and did something like this while at your place of work? |
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SC01: Do you think this would include situations when you were at work but the work place is a client’s residence or office (such as when you were fixing a client’s internet connection at the client’s office or home, or when you were providing a health care visit at the patient’s home)? |
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SC01: (IF ANSWER>=1) How did you decide on your answer to this question? |
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SC03: What types of situations do you think this is asking about? (IF NEEDED: What do you think is meant by “a public place”?) |
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SC03: (IF ANSWER>=1) How did you decide on your answer to this question? |
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SC04: What were you thinking about when you answered this question? (Probe to confirm that they were thinking about how many times in the past 12 months someone verbally harassed them in a public place.) |
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SC05/SC06: Was there anything confusing about either of these two questions? |
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SC05/SC06: (IF YES TO EITHER) You answered that one or more people did either of these things to you. What types of situations were you thinking about when you answered this? |
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IF “DON’T KNOW” TO ANY IN SC01-SC06: Tell me more about why you decided to answer “don’t know” to this question. |
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For the following questions, think about the when you experienced unwanted sexual contact.
SC08 How old were you when this first happened?
_____ years old
How did you come up with your answer? |
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(IF NOT ALREADY ASKED) What do you think is meant by ‘first happened”? |
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ST16 Did this happen within the last 12 months?
1 Yes
2 No (Go to next section)
SC09 Did it ever happen with a romantic or sexual partner? This could be:
- a spouse or ex-spouse
- a romantic partner, significant other or fiancé
- an ex-romantic partner, ex-significant other or ex-fiancé
- a boyfriend/girlfriend or dating partner
- an ex-boyfriend/girlfriend or ex-dating partner
- someone I was having sex with
- my child’s other parent
1 Yes
2 No (Go to next section)
In your own words, how would you describe what this person’s connection to you was at that time? |
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(If SC09=Yes) Which, if any, of the relationships listed best describes the person’s connection to you at that time? |
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Were you deciding whether these categories fit at all? If so, how did you decide how to answer? |
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What do you think we mean by a ‘romantic or sexual partner”? |
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SC11 How old were you when this first happened with a romantic or sexual partner?
______ years old
(IF NOT ALREADY ASKED:) What do you think this question was asking? |
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How did you come up with your answer? |
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SC12 Did this happen with a romantic or sexual partner in the last 12 months?
1 Yes
2 No (Go to next section)
Verbal Harassment and Unwanted Touching Summary
(IF R SAID THEY EXPERIENCED AT LEAST SOME OF THE BEHAVIORS IN SC01, SC03, SC05, SC06) How easy or difficult was it to remember the details that we asked about? Could you say more why it was (easy/difficult)? |
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What were your reactions to being asked if these types of things have ever happened to you? (LISTEN FOR: embarrassed, upset, reluctant, etc.) |
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Did you feel like you changed your answers in any way to make it less embarrassing or so that you wouldn’t be asked so many questions? |
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Before we move on to the next set of questions, do you have any final comments or reactions you can share with me about this set of questions? |
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Sometimes unwanted sex happens after a person is pressured into it, such as through verbal and emotional pressure and other nonphysical kinds of pressure. The following questions are about times in your life when someone may have ever used verbal or other nonphysical pressure to make you have sex when you didn’t want to. This could be anyone, including strangers or someone you knew such as a romantic or sexual partner, a family member, a friend, teacher, co-worker or supervisor, or someone you have known for only a short time.
In your lifetime, have you had vaginal, oral, or anal sex after a person pressured you by doing any of the following?
Yes No
SC15 Telling lies, making promises about the future they knew were 1 2
untrue, threatening to end your relationship, or threatening to
spread rumors about you?
SC16 Wearing you down by repeatedly asking for sex, or showing they 1 2
were unhappy?
SC17 Using their influence or authority over you, for example, your boss 1 2
or your teacher?
SC17a Questions SC15, SC16 and SC17 asked if you had ever been pressured to have vaginal, oral or anal sex. Did you mark “yes” to any of these questions (questions SC15, SC16, SC17)?
1 Yes (Go to SC19)
2 No (Go to next section)
(REVIEW AFTER ALL HAVE BEEN ANSWERED) Let’s look back at each of these items. Were any of them confusing or unclear? |
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(ST17a) What about this last question--how did you come up with your answer? |
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For the following four questions, think about the when you experienced unwanted sexual contact.
SC19 How old were you when this first happened?
_____ years old
How did you come up with your answer? |
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(IF NOT ALREADY ASKED) What do you think is meant by ‘first happened”? |
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SC25 Did this happen within the last 12 months?
1 Yes
2 No (Go to next section)
SC20 Did it ever happen with a romantic or sexual partner? This could be:
- a spouse or ex-spouse
- a romantic partner, significant other or fiancé
- an ex-romantic partner, ex-significant other or ex-fiancé
- a boyfriend/girlfriend or dating partner
- an ex-boyfriend/girlfriend or ex-dating partner
- someone I was having sex with
- my child’s other parent
1 Yes
2 No (Go to next section)
In your own words, how would you describe what this person’s connection to you was at that time? |
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(If SC20=Yes) Which, if any, of the relationships listed best describes the person’s connection to you at that time? |
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IF NEEDED: Were you were deciding whether these categories fit at all? If so, how did you decide how to answer? |
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What do you think we mean by a ‘romantic or sexual partner”? |
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SC22 How old were you when this first happened with a romantic or sexual partner?
______ years old
(IF NOT ALREADY ASKED) What do you think this question was asking? |
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How did you come up with your answer? |
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SC26a Did this happen with a romantic or sexual partner in the last 12 months?
1 Yes
2 No (Go to next section)
END OF SEXUAL PRESSURE SECTION:
(IF R SAID THEY EXPERIENCED AT LEAST SOME OF THE BEHAVIORS IN SC15-SC17) How easy or difficult was it to remember the details that we asked about? Could you say more why it was (easy/difficult)? |
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Before we move on to the next set of questions, do you have any final comments or reactions you can share with me about this set of questions? |
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These next questions are about situations in your life in which you experienced unwanted sex or sexual contact. By this I mean sexual contact that you did not consent to and that you did not want to happen.
Sometimes unwanted sex or sexual contact happens when a person is unable to consent to it or stop it from happening because they are too drunk, high, drugged, or passed out from alcohol, drugs, or medications. This can include times when they voluntarily consumed alcohol or drugs or times when they were given alcohol or drugs without their knowledge or consent. Please remember that even if someone uses alcohol or drugs, what happens to them is not their fault.
Did someone do any of the following when you did not want it to happen when you were unable to consent to sex or stop it from happening because you were too drunk, high, drugged, or passed out from alcohol or drug.
Has anyone ever…:
Yes No
IF FEMALE RESPONDENT:
AD01 Put their mouth on your vagina? 1 2
AD02 Put their finger or an object in your vagina or anus? 1 2
AD03 Put their penis in your vagina? 1 2
AD04 Put their penis in your mouth or anus? 1 2
IF MALE RESPONDENT
AD05 Put their fingers or an object in your anus? 1 2
AD06 Put their mouth on your penis? 1 2
AD08a Questions (AD01, AD02, AD03 and AD04/AD05, AD06) asked if you have had unwanted sex or sexual contact when you were unable to consent or stop what was happening because you were too drunk, high, drugged or passed out.
Did you mark “yes” to any of these questions ((AD01, AD02, AD03 and AD04/AD05, AD06)?
1 Yes (Go to AD12)
2 No (Go to next section)
(REVIEW AFTER ALL HAVE BEEN ANSWERED) Let’s look back at each of these items. Were any of them confusing or unclear? |
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Let’s look at the introduction before these questions. (“Thinking about situations when you were unable to consent to sex or stop it from happening because you were too drunk, high, drugged, or passed out from alcohol or drugs …”) What types of situations do you think this is asking about? |
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(AD08a) What about this last question--how did you come up with your answer? |
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For the following questions, think about when you had unwanted sex or sexual contact under these circumstances.
AD12 How old were you when this first happened?
_____ years old
How did you come up with your answer? |
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(IF NOT ALREADY ASKED) What do you think is meant by ‘first happened”? |
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AD16 Did this happen within the last 12 months?
1 Yes
2 No (Go to next section)
AD13 Did it ever happen with a romantic or sexual partner? This could be:
- a spouse or ex-spouse
- a romantic partner, significant other or fiancé
- an ex-romantic partner, ex-significant other or ex-fiancé
- a boyfriend/girlfriend or dating partner
- an ex-boyfriend/girlfriend or ex-dating partner
- someone I was having sex with
- my child’s other parent
1 Yes
2 No (Go to next section)
In your own words, how would you describe what this person’s connection to you was at that time? |
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(IF AD13=YES) Which, if any, of the relationships listed best describes the person’s connection to you at that time? |
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IF NEEDED: Were you were deciding whether these categories fit at all? If so, how did you decide how to answer? |
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What do you think we mean by a ‘romantic or sexual partner”? |
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AD15 How old were you when this first happened with a romantic or sexual partner?
______ years old
What do you think this question was asking? |
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(IF NOT ALREADY ASKED) How did you come up with your answer? |
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AD17a Did this happen with a romantic or sexual partner in the last 12 months?
1 Yes
2 No (Go to next section)
END OF ALCOHOL/DRUG FACILITATED SECTION (FEMALES):
(IF R SAID THEY EXPERIENCED AT LEAST SOME OF THE BEHAVIORS IN AD01-AD05, AD08) How easy or difficult was it to remember the details that we asked about? Could you say more why it was (easy/difficult)? |
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Did you feel like you changed your answers in any way to make it less embarrassing or so that you wouldn’t be asked so many questions? |
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Before we move on to the next set of questions, do you have any final comments or reactions you can share with me about this set of questions? |
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I’d like to check in with you to make sure you’re feeling alright and would like to continue the interview. Shall we continue? |
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(IF FEMALE, SKIP TO NEXT SECTION)
Here are a few questions asking if someone made you penetrate them.
AD07 Did a FEMALE ever make you put your penis in their vagina when you did not want it to happen when you were unable to consent to sex or stop it from happening because you were too drunk, high, drugged, or passed out from alcohol or drug?
1 Yes
2 No
AD08 Did a MALE ever put their penis in your mouth or anus when you did not want it to happen when you were unable to consent or stop it from happening because you were too drunk, high, drugged, or passed out from alcohol or drug?
1 yes
2 no
AD08a Did you mark “yes” to either AD07 or AD08?
1 Yes (Go to AD12aa)
2 No (Go to next section)
(REVIEW AFTER ALL HAVE BEEN ANSWERED) Let’s look back at each of these items. Were any of them confusing or unclear? |
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(AD08a) What about this last question--how did you come up with your answer? |
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For the following questions, think about when someone made you penetrate them or someone penetrated you under these circumstances.
AD12a How old were you when this first happened?
_____ years old
How did you come up with your answer? |
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(IF NOT ALREADY ASKED) What do you think is meant by ‘first happened”? |
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AD16a Did this happen within the last 12 months?
1 Yes
2 No (Go to next section)
AD13a Did it ever happen with a romantic or sexual partner? This could be:
- a spouse or ex-spouse
- a romantic partner, significant other or fiancé
- an ex-romantic partner, ex-significant other or ex-fiancé
- a boyfriend/girlfriend or dating partner
- an ex-boyfriend/girlfriend or ex-dating partner
- someone I was having sex with
- my child’s other parent
1 Yes
2 No (Go to next section)
In your own words, how would you describe what this person’s connection to you was at that time? |
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(IF AD13a=YES) Which, if any, of the relationships listed best describes the person’s connection to you at that time? |
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IF NEEDED: Were you were deciding whether these categories fit at all? If so, how did you decide how to answer? |
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What do you think we mean by a ‘romantic or sexual partner”? |
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AD15a How old were you when this first happened with a romantic or sexual partner?
______ years old
(IF NOT ALREADY ASKED) What do you think this question was asking? |
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How did you come up with your answer? |
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AD17a Did this happen with a romantic or sexual partner in the last 12 months?
1 Yes
2 No (Go to next section)
END OF ALCOHOL/DRUG FACILITATED MADE TO PENETRATE SECTION:
(IF R SAID THEY EXPERIENCED AT LEAST ONE OF THE BEHAVIORS IN AD06-AD07) How easy or difficult was it to remember the details that we asked about? Could you say more why it was (easy/difficult)? |
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Before we move on to the next set of questions, do you have any final comments or reactions you can share with me about this set of questions? |
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I’d like to check in with you to make sure you’re feeling alright and would like to continue the interview. Shall we continue? |
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Some people are threatened with harm or physically forced to have sex or sexual contact when they don’t want to. Examples of physical force are being pinned or held down, using violence or threats of violence, or not physically stopping after you said no. To be clear, we are now asking only about times in your life when sex was unwanted and you did not give consent.
Did anyone ever use physical force or threats of physical harm to:
FEMALE RESPONDENT:
Yes No
FC01 Put their mouth on your vagina? 1 2
FC02 Put their finger or an object in your vagina or anus? 1 2
FC03 Put their penis in your vagina? 1 2
FC04 Put their penis in your mouth or anus? 1 2
MALE RESPONDENT
FC05 Put their fingers or an object in your anus? 1 2
FC06 Put their mouth on your penis? 1 2
FC08a Questions (FC01, FC02, FC03 and FC04/FC05, FC06) asked if you have had unwanted sex or sexual contact when someone used physical force or threats of physical force.
Did you mark “yes” to any of these questions ((FC01, FC02, FC03 and FC04/FC05, FC06)?
1 Yes (Go to FC10)
2 No (Go to next section)
(REVIEW AFTER ALL HAVE BEEN ANSWERED) Let’s look back at each of these items. Were any of them confusing or unclear? |
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(FC08a) What about this last question. How did you come up with your answer? |
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For the following four questions, think about when you had unwanted sex or sexual contact under these circumstances.
FC10 How old were you when this first happened?
_____ years old
How did you come up with your answer |
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(IF NOT ALREADY ASKED) What do you think is meant by ‘first happened”? |
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FC14 Did this happen within the last 12 months?
1 Yes
2 No (Go to next section)
FC09 Did it ever happen with a romantic or sexual partner? This could be:
- a spouse or ex-spouse
- a romantic partner, significant other or fiancé
- an ex-romantic partner, ex-significant other or ex-fiancé
- a boyfriend/girlfriend or dating partner
- an ex-boyfriend/girlfriend or ex-dating partner
- someone I was having sex with
- my child’s other parent
1 Yes
2 No (Go to next section)
In your own words, how would you describe what this person’s connection to you was at that time? |
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(IF FC09=YES) Which, if any, of the relationships listed best describes the person’s connection to you at that time? |
|
IF NEEDED: Were you were deciding whether these categories fit at all? If so, how did you decide how to answer? |
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What do you think we mean by a ‘romantic or sexual partner”? |
|
FC13 How old were you when this first happened with a romantic or sexual partner?
______ years old
(IF NOT ALREADY ASKED) What do you think this question was asking? |
|
How did you come up with your answer? |
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FC15a Did this happen with a romantic or sexual partner in the last 12 months?
1 Yes
2 No (Go to next section)
END OF UNWANTED SEX BY FORCE SECTION (FEMALES):
(IF R SAID THEY EXPERIENCED AT LEAST ONE OF THE BEHAVIORS IN FC01-FC05, FC08) How easy or difficult was it to remember the details that we asked about? Could you say more why it was (easy/difficult)? |
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What were your reactions to being asked if these types of things have ever happened to you? (LISTEN FOR: embarrassed, upset, reluctant, etc.) |
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Did you feel like you changed your answers in any way to make it less embarrassing or so that you wouldn’t be asked so many questions? |
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Before we move on to the next set of questions, do you have any final comments or reactions you can share with me about this set of questions? |
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I’d like to check in with you to make sure you’re feeling alright and would like to continue the interview. Shall we continue? |
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(IF FEMALE, SKIP TO NEXT SECTION)
Here are a few questions when someone made you penetrate them using physical force or threats of physical harm
FC07 Did a FEMALE ever use physical force or threats of physical harm to make you put your penis in her vagina when you did not want it to happen?
1 Yes
2 No
FC08 Did a MALE ever use physical force or threats of physical harm to put his penis in your mouth or anus when you did not want it to happen when you were unable to consent or stop it from happening because you were too drunk, high, drugged, or passed out from alcohol or drug?
1 yes
2 no
FC08a Did you mark “yes” to either FC07 or FC08?
1 Yes (Go to FC10aa)
2 No (Go to next section)
(REVIEW AFTER ALL HAVE BEEN ANSWERED) Let’s look back at each of these items. Were any of them confusing or unclear? |
|
(ST07a) What about this last question--how did you come up with your answer? |
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For the following four questions, think about when someone made you penetrate them or penetrated you under these circumstances.
FC10aa How old were you when this first happened?
_____ years old
How did you come up with your answer? |
|
(IF NOT ALREADY ASKED) What do you think is meant by ‘first happened”? |
|
FC14aa Did this happen within the last 12 months?
1 Yes
2 No (Go to next section)
FC09aa Did it ever happen with a romantic or sexual partner? This could be:
- a spouse or ex-spouse
- a romantic partner, significant other or fiancé
- an ex-romantic partner, ex-significant other or ex-fiancé
- a boyfriend/girlfriend or dating partner
- an ex-boyfriend/girlfriend or ex-dating partner
- someone I was having sex with
- my child’s other parent
1 Yes
2 No (Go to next section)
In your own words, how would you describe what this person’s connection to you was at that time? |
|
(IF FC09aa=YES) Which, if any, of the relationships listed best describes the person’s connection to you at that time? |
|
IF NEEDED: Were you were deciding whether these categories fit at all? If so, how did you decide how to answer? |
|
What do you think we mean by a ‘romantic or sexual partner”? |
|
FC13aa How old were you when this first happened with a romantic or sexual partner?
______ years old
(IF NOT ALREADY ASKED) What do you think this question was asking? |
|
How did you come up with your answer? |
|
FC15aa Did this happen with a romantic or sexual partner in the last 12 months?
1 Yes
2 No (Go to next section)
END OF MADE TO PENETRATE BY FORCE SECTION:
(IF R SAID THEY EXPERIENCED AT LEAST ONE OF THE BEHAVIORS IN FC06-FC07) How easy or difficult was it to remember the details that we asked about? Could you say more why it was (easy/difficult)? |
|
What were your reactions to being asked if these types of things have ever happened to you? (LISTEN FOR: embarrassed, upset, reluctant, etc.) |
|
Did you feel like you changed your answers in any way to make it less embarrassing or so that you wouldn’t be asked so many questions? |
|
Before we move on to the next set of questions, do you have any final comments or reactions you can share with me about this set of questions? |
|
I’d like to check in with you to make sure you’re feeling alright and would like to continue the interview. Shall we continue? |
|
The next set of questions are about times in your life when someone ever ATTEMPTED to have sex or sexual contact with you by using physical force or threats of harm but sex did NOT happen. Examples of physical force are being pinned or held down, using violence or threats of violence, or not physically stopping after you said no. To be clear, we are now asking only about times when sex was unwanted and you did not give consent, and sex did not happen.
Did anyone ever use physical force or threats of physical harm to:
Yes No
IF FEMALE RESPONDENT:
FA01 Has a male ever use physical force or threats of physical harm 1 2
to TRY to put their penis in your vagina, mouth, or anus, but it did
not happen?
IF MALE RESPONDENT
FA02 Has anyone ever used physical force or threats of physical harm 1 2
to TRY to put their mouth on your penis, but it did not happen?
FA02a Questions (FA01/FA02) asked if someone attempted to have unwanted sex or sexual contact by using physical force or threats of physical force, but it did not happen.
Did you mark “yes” to any of these questions ((FA01/FA02)?
1 Yes (Go to FA06)
2 No (Go to next section)
(REVIEW AFTER ALL HAVE BEEN ANSWERED) Let’s look back at each of these items. Were any of them confusing or unclear? |
|
(FA02a) What about this last question--how did you come up with your answer? |
|
For the following questions, think about when someone attempted to have unwanted sex or sexual contact physical force or threats of physical force, but it did not happen.
FA06 How old were you when this first happened?
_____ years old
How did you come up with your answer? |
|
(IF NOT ALREADY ASKED) What do you think is meant by ‘first happened”? |
|
FA10 Did this happen within the last 12 months?
1 Yes
2 No (Go to next section)
FA05 Did it ever happen with a romantic or sexual partner? This could be:
- a spouse or ex-spouse
- a romantic partner, significant other or fiancé
- an ex-romantic partner, ex-significant other or ex-fiancé
- a boyfriend/girlfriend or dating partner
- an ex-boyfriend/girlfriend or ex-dating partner
- someone I was having sex with
- my child’s other parent
1 Yes
2 No (Go to next section)
In your own words, how would you describe what this person’s connection to you was at that time? |
|
(IF FA05=YES) Which, if any, of the relationships listed best describes the person’s connection to you at that time? |
|
IF NEEDED: Were you were deciding whether these categories fit at all? If so, how did you decide how to answer? |
|
What do you think we mean by a ‘romantic or sexual partner”? |
|
FA09 How old were you when this first happened with a romantic or sexual partner?
______ years old
(IF NOT ALREADY ASKED) What do you think this question was asking? |
|
How did you come up with your answer? |
|
FA11a Did this happen with a romantic or sexual partner in the last 12 months?
1 Yes
2 No (Go to next section)
END OF ATTEMPTED UNWANTED SEX BY FORCE SECTION (FEMALES):
(IF R SAID THEY EXPERIENCED THE BEHAVIOR IN FA01) How easy or difficult was it to remember the details that we asked about? Could you say more why it was (easy/difficult)? |
|
Before we move on to the next set of questions, do you have any final comments or reactions you can share with me about this set of questions? |
|
(IF FEMALE, SKIP TO NEXT SECTION)
Here are a few questions when someone attempted to make you penetrate them using physical force or threats of physical force, but it did not happen.
Yes No
FA03 Has a female ever used physical force or threats of physical harm 1 2
to TRY to make you put your penis in their vagina but it did not
happen?
FA04 Has a male ever used physical force or threats of physical harm 1 2
to TRY to make you put their penis in your mouth or anus, but
it did not happen?
FA08a Did you mark “yes” to either FA03 or FA04?
1 Yes (Go to FA06aa)
2 No (Go to next section)
(REVIEW AFTER ALL HAVE BEEN ANSWERED) Let’s look back at each of these items. Were any of them confusing or unclear? |
|
(FA08a) What about this last question. How did you come up with your answer? |
|
For the following questions, think about when someone tried to make you penetrate them under these circumstances.
FA06aa How old were you when this first happened?
_____ years old
How did you come up with your answer |
|
(IF NOT ALREADY ASKED) What do you think is meant by ‘first happened”? |
|
FA10aa Did this happen within the last 12 months?
1 Yes
2 No (Go to next section)
FA05aa Did it ever happen with a romantic or sexual partner? This could be:
- a spouse or ex-spouse
- a romantic partner, significant other or fiancé
- an ex-romantic partner, ex-significant other or ex-fiancé
- a boyfriend/girlfriend or dating partner
- an ex-boyfriend/girlfriend or ex-dating partner
- someone I was having sex with
- my child’s other parent
1 Yes
2 No (Go to next section)
In your own words, how would you describe what this person’s connection to you was at that time? |
|
(IF FA05aa=YES) Which, if any, of the relationships listed best describes the person’s connection to you at that time? |
|
IF NEEDED: Were you were deciding whether these categories fit at all? If so, how did you decide how to answer? |
|
What do you think we mean by a ‘romantic or sexual partner”? |
|
FA09aa How old were you when this first happened with a romantic or sexual partner?
______ years old
(IF NOT ALREADY ASKED) What do you think this question was asking? |
|
How did you come up with your answer? |
|
FA11aa Did this happen with a romantic or sexual partner in the last 12 months?
1 Yes
2 No (Go to next section)
END OF ATTEMPTED FORCED MADE TO PENETRATE SECTION:
(IF R SAID THEY EXPERIENCED AT LEAST ONE OF THE BEHAVIORS IN FA02-FA03) How easy or difficult was it to remember the details that we asked about? Could you say more why it was (easy/difficult)? |
|
Before we move on to the next set of questions, do you have any final comments or reactions you can share with me about this set of questions? |
|
The next questions ask about experiences you may have had in your life with your romantic or sexual partners. When I ask about your romantic or sexual partners, I want you to think about people you have been involved with romantically or sexually which might include:
- a spouse or ex-spouse
- a romantic partner, significant other or fiancé
- an ex-romantic partner, ex-significant other or ex-fiancé
- a boyfriend/girlfriend or dating partner
- an ex-boyfriend/girlfriend or ex-dating partner
- someone I was having sex with
- my child’s other parent
How many of your current or ex partners have ever….
Yes No
PA01 insulted or humiliated you in front of others? 1 2
PA02 kept you from having your own money? 1 2
PA03 tried to keep you from seeing or talking to your family or friends? 1 2
PA04 kept track of you by demanding to know where you were and what 1 2
you were doing?
PA05 made threats to physically harm you? 1 2
PA06 threatened to hurt themselves or commit suicide because they were
upset with you? 1 2
PA07 made decisions that should have been yours to make? 1 2
PA08 destroyed something that was important to you? 1 2
FOR FEMALES
PA12 tried to get you pregnant when you did not want to become 1 2
pregnant or tied to stop you from using birth control?
FOR MALES:
PA13 tried to get pregnant when you didn’t want them to get pregnant 1 2
or tried to stop you from using birth control?
MALES AND FEMALES
PA15 refused to use a condom when you wanted them to use one? 1 2
(REVIEW AFTER ALL HAVE BEEN ANSWERED) Let’s look back at each of these items. Were any of them confusing or unclear? |
|
The next few questions are related to physical acts you may have experienced with your current or ex-romantic sexual partners.
Yes No
PV01 slapped, pushed, or shoved you? 1 2
PV04 hit you with a fist or something hard? 1 2
PV06 hurt you by pulling your hair? 1 2
PV07 slammed you against something? 1 2
PV08 tried to hurt you by choking or suffocating you? 1 2
PV09 used a knife on you? 1 2
PV10 used a gun on you? 1 2
(REVIEW AFTER ALL HAVE BEEN ANSWERED) Let’s look back at each of these items. Were any of them confusing or unclear? |
|
ASK FOR EACH YES RESPONSE: Can you tell me what made you say yes to this question? |
|
General – ASK PROBES AS NEEDED (IF THEY HAVE NOT ALREADY BEEN ADDRESSED)
Now that you’ve worked through the questionnaire, what are your overall thoughts on it?
|
|
We are interested in whether any of the questions might be too sensitive to ask people. Were there any that you felt particularly uncomfortable answering?
IF YES: What make you uncomfortable? (PROBE to find out if it was the explicit language, vs. recalling your memories, vs something else?) |
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Were there any features or things about the questionnaire that you particularly liked? |
|
Were there any features or things about the questionnaire that you didn’t like? |
|
What did you think about the way the questions looked, in terms of the font, the font size, and the size of the response options? |
|
How about the background color? |
|
How easy or hard was it to follow the navigational skip patterns? Were any of them particularly confusing? |
|
Do you have any other thoughts for me on your experiences completing the survey? |
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Closing and Incentive
Those are all the questions I have for you. Is there anything we haven't discussed that you would like to mention?
DISCUSS ANY RESPONDENT COMMENTS.
STOP RECORDER.
Before we finish, I just want to make sure you’re doing ok. (REFER TO DISTRESS PROTOCOL IF NEEDED).
Here is some contact information for local and national organizations that you can call if you want to talk about any feelings or emotions you experience. (HAND RESOURCE LIST TO R)
Thank you for your time.
GIVE INCENTIVE AND HAVE RESPONDENT SIGN RECEIPT.
NISVS Redesign –
Paper Protocol Round 1 Page
| File Type | application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document |
| Author | Karen Stein |
| File Modified | 0000-00-00 |
| File Created | 2021-01-14 |