Introduction:
The main focus of this Series paper is on programs for preventing intimate
partner violence and non-partner sexual violence in low-resource settings,
emphasizing lessons that may be applied to prevention of other forms of
violence and in other contexts
Programs designed to prevent violence against
women highlight the need for systematic, sustained programs across the social
ecology (i.e., the interaction of social, institutional, cultural, and political
contexts of people’s lives) to transform gender-power inequalities.
Development of approaches for prevention of violence
against women and girls
Theories & programs for prevention are new in violence against women
Historically, violence against women was seen as inevitable phenomenon,
intervention was after effects
Now, it is objectionable problem, increasing prevention programs
Feminists & women org.s led early efforts in making societal-level changes (eg.
Legal & policy reform)
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Challenges :
- programs meeting demands
- confronting unsupportive legal,
- cultural,
- religious environment institutions
• Violence was no longer viewed as simply an individual problem affected
particular women in some families,
• Instead, a problem affecting 1 in 3 women around world, & has wider
effects on families, communities, & even global development goals
• Not only a moment in time, interfere with their lives across their lifespan
• Although forms differ, prevalence & profound means that violence can
damage lives of most women, as well as health & well-being of societies
programmers
The common prevention approaches, although important starting points, have
encountered many similar issues:
• First, focus is often exclusively on awareness-raising.
• Second, action often occurs without collective analysis.
• Third, efforts might become siloed
• Finally, individual-level change can be less effective.
• Social level
• At the social level, violence against women and girls is shaped by
laws, policies and service infrastructure, all of which contribute to
public understanding and practical responses.Policies are important
in establishing public disapproval of violence against women and
girls and functioning as a practical method of legal redress for
women and girls, not sufficient as a prevention and response
mechanism.
• health workers, like other professionals, may have contact with
individuals exposed to abuse, but women and girls are generally
reluctant to disclose violence due to stigma and social pressure
against disclosure of violence, fear of retaliation by perpetrators or
others, reluctance of people to refer members family to the criminal
justice system and, often, the costs of legal proceedings.43
Furthermore, national laws condemning violence often work
alongside religious, customary or customary laws that promote male
domination and may include penalties for 4,444 women who still
alive and daughter.
community level
the presence of and response to violence against women and girls is
shaped by social norms about gender and power that can either
support or discourage violence . Social norms vary across communities
and societies; religious and cultural beliefs.
The goal of community-level prevention of violence against women and
girls is to create an enabling environment for equality and non-violence;
an environment where a critical mass of support can grow among
community members, leaders, and institutions to promote gender
equality and non-violence
interpersonal level
• in holistic interventions tries to understand the complexity of
individual and society.
• SASA : movement aims to decrease violence against women
by increasing awareness about power usage and emphasize
on cocepts like communication skills ,respect and gender roles .
• It avoids the shame and blame language and give direct orders to
ppl instead they try to make ppl aware of their choices more by
promoting positive way of thinking.
• is a feminist movement aiming to create an environment against
violence . They created a Tv showand a story telling show .They are
trying to change concepts through their programms .
• They also try to connect ppl to local services in case of violence ,
Sexual abuse , harassment ...etc.
Individual level : the experience of a women of violence due to
muscuility and femininity notions.
Recommendations for policy makers
• commitment to the principles of effective prevention of violence
against women.
• Strenghthening the health sector response.
• Increase health sector leadership and integration of primary
prevention in polices against violence against women.
• Support collective pro-feminist movement-based activism.
• Investment in innovation to achieve change in the attitudes,
norms, and practices that perpetuate violence against women.
• Investment in community-based prevention of violence
against women.
• Support collaborative practitioner–researcher impact
evaluations