Chapter 16 - What Works to Prevent Adolescent Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence? A Global Review of Best Practices

Abstract

Intimate partner and sexual violence among adolescents is common throughout the world, with devastating effects on their physical and mental health and well-being that can last a lifetime. Until recently, virtually all of the rigorously evaluated interventions to prevent adolescent intimate partner and sexual violence (IP/SV) came from high-income countries. The majority of these interventions were conducted in schools and college campuses and largely focused on reducing perpetration and victimization among both boys and girls in dating relationships. In the last decade, a growing body of evidence has emerged in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC), which addresses other forms of violence against adolescents including early and forced marriage, sexual violence, and intimate partner violence, both in dating relationships as well as in marriage. This chapter reviews the evidence from both high- as well as LMIC regarding the effectiveness of interventions to address IP/SV among adolescents, including school and community-based approaches.