Preventing violence before it occurs

Preventing violence before it occurs

In 2003 VicHealth identified violence against women as a priority as part of a broader program of activity aimed at addressing the preventable causes of poor mental health. This form of violence was identified given the strong evidential link between violence and anxiety, depression and other mental health problems.

VicHealth has placed particular emphasis on strengthening primary prevention responses to this problem, working in partnership with others across a range of sectors and settings.

In 2006 the Victorian government in Australia identified the need to develop a whole-of-government plan to guide activity in the primary prevention of violence against women. This undertaking was made recognising that, while there was a growing momentum of support for primary prevention, it was important this was consolidated and sustained through sound evidence-informed policy, coordinated action and appropriate resource allocation.

To support the planning process the first phase was undertaken by VicHealth in the context of a partnership between it and the Victorian Government. It involved the development of a conceptual framework to guide action to prevent violence against women, based on a review of existing research evidence and input from a range of local and national experts. The end result is this publication

• Preventing violence before it occurs: A framework and background paper to guide the primary prevention of violence against women in Victoria 

This framework is designed to provide a sound theoretical and evidence base to support future government, community and corporate sector activity to prevent violence against women. It identifies priority strategies, settings and population targets.

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Related publications

You may also want to refer to these Vichealth documents supporting the prevention of violence against women. 

• Research summary: Violence against women in Australia
• The Health Costs of Violence: Measuring the burden of disease caused by intimate partner violence 
• Two Steps Forward, One Step Back: Community attitudes to violence against women 
• Paper 1 of the Violence Against Women Community Attitudes Project Community Attitudes to Violence Against Women Survey: A Full Technical Report, Taylor, N & Mouzos, J, 2006, Australian Institute of Criminology, Canberra
• Paper 2 of the Violence Against Women Community Attitudes Project  VicHealth Review of Communication Components of Social Marketing/Public Education Campaigns Focusing on Violence Against Women
• Paper 3 of the Violence Against Women Community Attitudes Project  The Factors Influencing Community Attitudes in Relation to Violence Against Women: A Critical Review of the Literature
• Paper 4 of the Violence Against Women Community Attitudes Project  Refugee Settlement, Safety and Wellbeing: Exploring Domestic and Family Violence in Refugee Communities
• Building cultures of respect and non-violence  A review of literature concerning adult learning and violence prevention programs with men. Prepared by Dr Sue Dyson and Dr Michael Flood for the AFL Respect & Responsibility Program 
• VicHealth Letter: Spring 2006 (Issue 28) Respect, Responsibility and Equality: Preventing Violence Against Women 

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  VicHealth partnership activity to prevent Volence Against Women