Intimate Partner Violence: Prevention Strategies
Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a serious problem that can have lasting harmful effects on individuals, families, and communities. The goal for IPV prevention is simple-to stop it from happening in the first place. However, the solutions are just as complex as the problem.
Prevention efforts should ultimately reduce the occurrence of intimate partner violence through the promotion of healthy, respectful, nonviolent relationships. Prevention efforts should attempt to promote healthy relationships by addressing change at all levels of the social ecology that influence IPV: individual, relationship, community, and society. Additionally, effective prevention efforts will attempt to reduce known risk factors for IPV and promote protective factors.
Effective and Promising Programs
- Violence Prevention Evidence Base
This database, developed by The Centre for Public Health at Liverpool John Moores University, provides access to abstracts from published studies that have measured the effectiveness of interventions to prevent violence. To be included in the database, studies must have measured the impact of interventions directly on violence. Studies have been selected through a systematic review of published academic literature. The abstracts can be searched by violence type, keywords, and geographical area of implementation.
- World Report on Violence and Health [PDF 222 KB]
This report is the first comprehensive review of violence on a global scale. Chapter 4 provides detailed information on IPV, including prevention strategies.
Review Articles
- Avery-Leaf, S., & Cascardi, M. (2002). Dating violence education: Prevention and early intervention strategies. In P. A. Schewe (Ed), Preventing violence in relationships: Interventions across the life span (pp. 79-105). Washington, DC, US: American Psychological Association.
- Babcock, J. C., Green, C. E., & Robie, C. (2004). Does batterers' treatment work? A meta-analytic review of domestic violence treatment. Clinical Psychology Review, Jan;23(8):1023-53.
- Foshee, V.A. & Reyes, H. L. M. (2009). Primary Prevention of Adolescent Dating Abuse Perpetration: When to Begin, Whom to Target, and How to Do It. In D. J. Whitaker and J. R. Lutzker’s Preventing partner violence: Research and evidence-based intervention strategies. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association, pp. 141-168.
- Hickman, L. J., Jaycox, L. H., & Aranoff, J. (2004) Dating violence among adolescents: Prevalence, gender distribution, and prevention program effectiveness. Trauma, Violence, and Abuse, 5, 123-142.
- Saunders, D.G., Hamill, R.M. (2003). Violence Against Women: Synthesis of Research on Offender Interventions. National Institute of Justice. From http://www.ncjrs.org/pdffiles1/nij/grants/201222.pdf [PDF 271 KB]
- Wathen, C. N., & MacMillan, H. L. (2003). Interventions for violence against women: Scientific review. Journal of the American Medical Association, 289, 589-600.
- Whitaker DJ, Baker CK, & Arias I. 2007). Interventions to prevent intimate partner violence. In L. Doll, S. Bonzo, D. Sleet, J. Mercy & E. Hass (Eds.), Handbook of Injury and Violence Prevention (pp183-201).New York, NY: Springer.
- Whitaker DJ., Morrison S., Lindquist CA., Hawkins SR, O'Neil JA, Nesius AM, Mathew A, Reese L. (2006) A critical review of interventions for the primary prevention of perpetration of partner violence. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 11, 151-166.
- Whitaker, D. J. & Niolon, P.H. (2009). Advancing Interventions for Perpetrators of Physical Partner Violence: Batterer Intervention Programs and Beyond. In D. J. Whitaker and J. R. Lutzker’s Preventing partner violence: Research and evidence-based intervention strategies. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association, pp. 169-192.
Other Resources
- CDC's Extramural Research Program
CDC funds universities, medical centers and other outside organizations to conduct research related to IPV prevention.
- Preventing Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence: Program Activities Guide
This guide describes CDC’s public health activities and research related to intimate partner and sexual violence.
Contact Us:
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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