Using a domestic and sexual violence prevention advocate to implement a dating violence prevention program with athletes

The Primary Prevention of Sexual Violence Against Adolescents in School and Community Settings: A Scoping Review

Sexual Violence (SV) is a public health problem with serious long-term consequences for victims. This scoping review aimed at summarizing the implementation, methodology, characteristics, and efficacy of SV prevention programs conducted in school and community settings with middle and high school students. This study also gathered recommendations for future research. Studies were searched in three databases: EBSCOHOST, SCOPUS and Web of Science. Eighty-six peer-reviewed empirical studies about SV prevention programs applied in school and community settings with samples of middle and high school students were analyzed. Most original studies (46.3%) used sexual violence outcomes, although many approached sexual violence in the context of dating violence (43.3%). Most SV prevention programs were applied in the U.S.A. although studies were identified across the globe. Prevention programs tend to reduce SV attitudes, perpetration, and victimization and to increase SV knowledge, as well as bystander attitudes and behaviors. The evidence reveals the efficacy of these programs, although future studies are needed to clarify the specificities of SV prevention. This article provides recommendations considering the measurement of SV outcomes, the role of technology, the involvement of adults and communities, the timing of interventions, sexual education, and reporting practices.

School-based interventions TO Prevent Dating and Relationship Violence and Gender-Based Violence: STOP-DRV-GBV systematic review

Background

Schools have a duty of care to prevent violence between students but a significant amount of dating and relationship violence and gender-based violence occurs in schools. These are important public health issues with important longitudinal consequences for young people.

Objectives

To understand functioning and effectiveness of school-based interventions for the prevention of dating and relationship violence and gender-based violence.

Review methods

We undertook a mixed-methods systematic review to synthesise different types of evidence relating to school-based interventions for the prevention of dating and relationship violence and gender-based violence to understand if, how and in what ways these interventions are effective. We searched 21 databases and 2 trial registers and undertook forwards and backwards citation chasing, author contact and other supplementary search methods. Searches identified all literature published to June 2021. All screening was undertaken in duplicate and independently, and we quality appraised all included studies.

Results

We included 247 reports (68 outcome evaluations, 137 process evaluations). Synthesis of intervention components produced an intervention typology: single-component, curricular, multicomponent, and multilevel programmes. Synthesis of intervention theories suggested that interventions aiming to increase students' sense of school belonging and sense of safety in the school building could encourage increased learning of prosocial skills and increased prosocial peer norms, and so potentially reducing dating and relationship violence and gender-based violence. Synthesis of factors affecting delivery highlighted school organisation and leaders who believed in the importance of addressing dating and relationship violence/gender-based violence, along with time and resources to deliver the interventions. The ease with which the intervention could be delivered and modified was also important. Meta-analysis found stronger evidence for intervention effectiveness in reducing dating and relationship violence than for gender-based violence, with significant long-term impacts on dating and relationship violence victimisation and perpetration, and some evidence that interventions in high-income countries could be effective for reducing victimisation and perpetration of gender-based violence in the long-term. Impacts on knowledge and attitudes were primarily short-term. Network meta-analysis did not suggest superiority of any intervention type. Moderation evidence suggested interventions reduced dating and relationship violence perpetration in boys more than girls, but reduced gender-based violence perpetration more in girls. Metaregression by intervention component did not explain heterogeneity in effectiveness, but qualitative comparative analysis suggested that reducing perpetration was important to reducing victimisation, and that perpetration could be reduced via focus on interpersonal skills, guided practice and (for gender-based violence) implementation of social structural components.

Limitations

Despite an exhaustive search, trials may have been missed and risk of publication bias was high for several analyses.

Conclusions

This is the most comprehensive systematic review of school-based interventions for dating and relationship violence and gender-based violence to date. It is clear that the prevention of dating and relationship violence and gender-based violence in schools will require longer-term investment to show benefit.

Future work

Future research is needed to understand why intervention effectiveness appears stronger for dating and relationship violence than gender-based violence.

Study registration

The study is registered as PROSPERO CRD42020190463.

Funding

This award was funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Public Health Research programme (NIHR award ref: NIHR130144) and is published in full in Public Health Research; Vol. 12, No. 3. See the NIHR Funding and Awards website for further award information.

Researcher-Practitioner Partnerships to Implement and Evaluate Sexual and Relationship Violence Prevention Programs for Boys and Men

Although male-focused sexual and relationship violence (SRV) prevention programs are widely promulgated, limited guidance concerning how programs should be implemented for rigorous evaluation exists. To help develop evidence for such guidance, this paper reports on 20 interviews with leaders at youth-serving community-based organizations (CBOs) and educational institutions, which are sites for male-focused SRV prevention programs. This study examined: (1) how programs can be designed to engage male participants; and (2) how youth-serving CBOs and educational institutions can partner with researchers for evaluations. Findings underscore the importance of attending to the unique needs of program participants, their parents/guardians, and host organizations.

Evaluations of Prevention Programs for Sexual, Dating, and Intimate Partner Violence for Boys and Men: A Systematic Review

Among violence prevention educators and researchers, there is growing interest in sexual, dating, and intimate partner violence (SV/DV/IPV) prevention programs for males because of evidence showing that boys and men are more likely than girls and women to perpetrate SV as well as more severe forms of DV/IPV. To date, comprehensive guidance on the content, structure, delivery, and effectiveness of such programs is limited. We reviewed randomized controlled studies that evaluated SV/DV/IPV perpetration prevention programs for boys and men. Searches yielded 5,249 potential documents for review of which 10 met inclusion criteria-representing 9 unique studies of 7 distinct programs. Two reviewers independently reviewed and abstracted data from these studies regarding program setting and target audience; type of violence addressed; number and length of program sessions; program duration, topics, activities, and delivery mode; and implementer details. Study characteristics were also examined (sample size, participant characteristics, recruitment, randomization, comparison/control condition, data collection protocols, attrition, measures of violence perpetration, and perpetration findings). The Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool was used to assess study design quality. Results show considerable heterogeneity among program content and delivery strategies, study designs, and outcome measurement. Study sample size ranged widely, and most used cluster-randomized designs, recruited undergraduate college students, and evaluated a multisession program delivered via group sessions. Only one program reduced men's self-reported SV perpetration. Accordingly, critical gaps exist around "what works" for SV/DV/IPV perpetration prevention programs for boys and men.

Women's Healing Journey From Intimate Partner Violence: Establishing Positive Sexuality

Survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV) have an elevated risk for negative sexual health outcomes, including HIV and sexually transmitted infection (STI). Given the unique risk contexts for survivors, there is a need for effective sexual health interventions that take into account the imbalances of power for women who are survivors of IPV. Toward the aim of informing contextually relevant intervention approaches, this article describes women's strategies toward maintaining their sexual health in the context of violent, controlling relationships. Strategies are examined across women's healing process. Data were collected through semi-structured, in-person interviews with women who had experienced IPV ( N = 28). Participants had a wide range of negative sexual health outcomes and commonly used an analogy of a journey to describe their healing. Throughout these journeys, women gained more confidence and ownership over their sexuality. Themes centered around enhanced self-acceptance, ownership of personal sexuality, and readiness for desirable sexual partnerships.

The escalation dating abuse workshop for college students: Results of an efficacy RCT

OBJECTIVE

Assess the efficacy of a college dating abuse (DA) prevention workshop.

PARTICIPANTS

85 students from Greek organizations.

METHODS

Two fraternities and two sororities were randomized to intervention or waitlist control. Participants completed a baseline and 3-month follow-up survey. Data were analyzed using MANOVA.

RESULTS

As compared to those in the control group, students assigned to the DA workshop felt more prepared to act as bystanders at follow-up and were more convinced that DA was a problem on campus. Those who saw the workshop also recognized more opportunities when they could intervene as bystanders with friends and strangers at follow-up than did controls.

CONCLUSIONS

The DA workshop appears to have influenced students in the desired way, although not substantially. It is likely that a longer follow-up period and larger sample would reveal more meaningful changes from pre- to post-test.