Funded by Welsh Government, this systematic evidence assessment identifies effective primary and secondary prevention interventions for VAWDASV, to inform the adoption of evidence-based policy and practice.
Violence against Women, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence (VAWDASV) is a major public health problem, criminal justice and human rights issue, and the impact on those who experience it can be devastating. Welsh Government’s forthcoming national VAWDASV Strategy refresh makes a commitment to prevention and early intervention. Our systematic evidence assessment, therefore, will support us all in prioritising effective interventions for prevention, which are vital if we are to break the cycle of violence in Wales.
The resounding message from this report is that the prevention of VAWDASV is both feasible and effective. Now, more than ever before, we know what works and how to go about it, with new evidence of effective practice emerging all the time.
The report identifies a range of effective approaches designed to prevent VAWDASV at individual, relationship, community and societal levels, across education, health, nightlife, and community settings. We know from public health prevention science, that rather than investing in disparate, stand-alone projects, we must work together to develop an ‘eco-system’ of interventions which target the causes of VAWDASV through a whole-system approach.
The assessment also highlights the need for investment in further research and evaluation of new interventions, particularly prevention programmes with and for diverse communities.
