New Book: Strengthening Systems to Prevent Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence

Strengthening Systems to Prevent Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence is a collection of nine articles summarizing the experience of the DELTA and EMPOWER programs.  Both DELTA (Domestic Violence Prevention Enhancements and Leadership Through Alliances) and EMPOWER (Enhancing and Making Programs Work to End Rape) began in the 2000s with the purpose of enhancing the primary prevention of intimate partner violence and sexual violence, using a public health approach.  The articles discuss a range of topics related to the programs, including evaluation, capacity building and theory.  Several case studies demonstrate the lessons learned from the project, which include five components of a new approach to prevention planning:

• The use of empowerment evaluation as a set of guiding principles
• Operating from an intentional and rich theory base
• Experimenting with strategies to promote inclusion
• Application of a data driven planning process
• The importance of building capacity

While specific to two CDC grant programs, Strengthening Systems to Prevent Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence’s findings, examples, and insights can inform anyone doing sexual and domestic violence prevention work, at state and local levels.  For example, Youth Action Strategies in the Primary Prevention of Teen Dating Violence offers a comprehensive look at a local project to prevent teen dating violence in Wisconsin.

Click here to access the book.

Citation

Conway, P., Cox, P.J., Cook-Craig, P.G., Ortega, S., & Armstead, T.L. (Eds.). (2013). Strengthening Systems to Prevent Intimate Partner Violence and Sexual Violence. New York, NY. Routledge.

Description of the book (from Routledge)

Over the past 25 years, developing coordinated responses to intimate partner violence and sexual violence has improved both perpetrator accountability, and victim safety and self-determination. However, preventing intimate partner violence and sexual violence from occurring is beyond the ability of any one type of organization. Preventing this violence requires a network of individuals, groups and organizations who coordinate and assess their efforts on an ongoing basis.

This volume provides theoretical and practical guidance for the development of state and local prevention systems that hold the potential to eliminate persistent social problems. The development of prevention systems was informed by the data-driven public health model, systems theory and the ecological systems perspective. Strengthening Systems to Prevent Intimate Partner Violence and Sexual Violence offers guidance on how to gain participation of the right partners in developing a prevention system, and how to focus the work of that system on the critical areas of planning, implementation and capacity building. The guidance, resources and experience shared in this important collection will be invaluable to all those working towards the prevention of intimate partner violence and sexual violence.

This book is based on a special issue of the Journal of Family Social Work.