Local, community-led programmes can prevent violence against women, study finds

Intimate partner violence (IPV) prevention programmes rooted in community trust and local knowledge are more effective in preventing violence against women, according to a new study by the Feminist Centre for Racial Justice at SOAS.

The Study of Women’s Rights Practitioner Work, led by Professor of Feminist and Security Studies Awino Okech, tracks how women’s rights practitioners across Africa, Mesoamerica, Europe and Brazil are implementing life changing initiatives to prevent intimate partner violence.

The success of these efforts is largely attributable to community-driven approaches, a broad focus on societal violence, feminist organising and collaborative practices.

The research team conducted focus group discussions and interviews with 77 practitioners in 31 countries from 74 networks and organisations. The findings showed that as well as local knowledge and trust being central to effective prevention programmes, action to tackle intergenerational violence early, ensuring resource such as legal advice, psychological support and shelter are available, and reforming current funding models to provide a more long-term approach, must happen alongside.

Professor Okech said: “Intimate partner violence (IPV) is the most widespread form of violence against women. 2025 estimates by the World Health Organisation indicate that 1 in 3 women that is 840 million globally have experienced violence perpetrated by a current or former partner."

“This study confirmed that grassroots practitioners advance IPV prevention initiatives and sustain effective interventions despite constraints such as limited funding and sociopolitical opposition. The success of these efforts is largely attributable to community-driven approaches, a broad focus on societal violence, feminist organising and collaborative practices. Rather than discrete or isolated interventions, the recommendations presented here operate as mutually reinforcing elements within a broader funding ecosystem."

The recommendations from the report include:

• Address inequities in funding and expand support to grassroots and marginalised organisations, enabling long-term planning and sustained prevention work.
• Safeguard the wellbeing and sustainability of IPV prevention practitioners and survivors through trauma-informed support and security resources.
• Fund coalitions, networks and knowledge exchange to strengthen collective feminist responses to IPV.
• Enable practitioners to test and scale new approaches to emerging forms of violence and evolving prevention strategies.
• Ensure data and knowledge production reflect community realities and do not erase marginalised IPV survivor experiences.

The study was led by Professor Awino Okech at the Feminist Centre for Racial Justice, with a team of researchers: Dr Ruby Zelzer, Daniela Cortés-Vargas, Muthoni Muriithi, Marie-Simone Kadurira and Natalie Lumumba.