This dissertation offers an ethnographic exploration of higher education sexual violence prevention initiatives through the perspectives of professional staff whose mission is to counter what many call a pandemic of sexual violence. Central to my examination are the emic theories and language ideologies underlying prevention professionals' critique of everyday terms and phrases and their challenge to dominant discourses and practices. I explore sexual violence prevention through the lens of the dynamic relationship between sociocultural structures and individual agency. Through interviews and participant observation conducted over several years, the research delves into the multifaceted challenges faced by prevention professionals, their motivations, and the strategies they employ in their work. Drawing from various disciplines including anthropology, sociology, intersectional, queer and feminist theories, the research highlights the multiplicity of positions within both individuals and sociocultural structures. I engage with theoretical frameworks to contextualize my analysis, emphasizing prevention professionals' nuanced understandings of language's role in perpetuating or challenging sociocultural norms and the ensuant need for collaborative efforts to effect meaningful change. By exposing power dynamics and denaturalizing embodied discourses and practices, prevention professionals understand their work as envisioning alternative futures and empowering individuals to enact change. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]