Intimate Partner Violence: Prevention Strategies

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a serious problem that has lasting harmful effects on individuals, families, and communities. The goal for IPV prevention is 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.

Evidence

• 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 & Books

• 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):1023–1053.
• 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.
• Mitchell, C. & Anglin, D. (Eds.), (2009). Intimate partner violence: A health based perspective.  New York: Oxford University Press.
• Nelson, H.E., Bougatsos, C., & Blazina, I. (2012). Screening women for intimate partner violence: A systematic review to update the 2004 U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendation. Annals of Internal Medicine, 156 (11), 796–808.
• Ruff, S., McComb, J.L., Coker, C.J., & Sprenkle, D.H. (2010). Behavioral Couples Therapy for the treatment of substance abuse: A substantive and methodological review of O’Farrell, Fals-Stewart, and colleagues’ program of research. Family Process, 49:439–456.
• 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 (183–201).New York, NY: Springer.
• Whitaker, J.D. & Lutzker, J.R. (Eds.), (2009). Preventing partner violence: Research and evidence-based intervention strategies. Washington DC: American Psychological Association.
• 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.

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.